BY 



s. Wood Davidson, M. A 





Class J^^T'^M^ 



CopyrightN°^JLI_ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



THE 



CORRESPONDENT. 



BY 



JAS. WOOD DAVIDSON, A. M. 




NEW YORK: 
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, 

I, 3, AND 5 BOND STREET. 
1886. 



(VW^. 



!BcriiD\ 

.13 



Copyright, 1886, 
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY. 



INTRODUCTORY, 



In courtesy, as in common law, we of America 
have derived the basis of our system from Great 
Britain ; and both the spirit and the forms of our 
social code — as of our jurisprudence — follow, with 
characteristic modifications, those of the mother- 
country. The modifications are in some cases im- 
portant, and have grow^n out of the changed condi- 
tions of our people. The modifying causes are 
many — the influx of other peoples, especially the 
French and the Germans ; new modes of living, new 
food, foreign travel, radicalism and iconoclasm, espe- 
cially in schools, and speculation in finance. That 
is to say, changes in forms have grown out of the 
changed conditions. American etiquette of corre- 
spondence is essentially British, with individual 
features of its own; essentially British, that is to 
say, in contrast with both French and German. 

It is the aim of this little book to give, in con- 
venient and immediately accessible form, the main 
points needed by the American correspondent or 
writer of letters. It is arranged for ready reference, 
under the leading words, and the information given 
as briefly and as clearly as possible. 



4 IN TROD UCTOR K 

The best authorities available have been con- 
sulted, and reasons carefully but briefly stated when- 
ever practicable. Conflicts of authority — and they 
are not a few when doctors disagree — have been 
reconciled in some cases, and in others the seeming- 
ly preferable have been preferred. 

In almost all the forms given — salutation, com- 
plimentary close, superscription, and the like — the 
ones submitted are merely illustrative examples, and 
upon occasion admit, and sometimes even demand, 
variation. In elaborate forms, especially in compli- 
mentary closes, capitalizing has not been attempted ; 
the general rule in such case being that, after the 
words that need capitals on account of their personal 
nature, there should be no capitals used except at 
the beginning of the lines. There must be several 
of these in very long sentences, and, in such case, 
whatever the word is that begins a line, it should 
have a capital. All titles in such case are of course 
personal, and take capitals. 

With these suggestions the manual is put into 
the hands of the young correspondent in the hope 
that he will find it useful. 



LETTER PLAN. 



3 
4 



KEY TO THE LETTER PLAN. 

i-i. The Left Margfin, about three quarters of an inch from the left 

margin of the full-sized letter-sheet. 
2-2. The Date, including place and time. 
3-3. The Salutation. 
4-4. The Body of the Letter. 
5-5. The Complimentary Close. 
6-6. The Sig:nature. 
7-7. The Address, or Inside Address, as distinguished from the 

Superscription which is on the outside of the letter. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



Abbess. The address of an Abbess is Right 
Reverend. In Great Britain this functionary is ad- 
dressed as " The Right Reverend Lady Abbess of 

A '' (the abbey) ; or '' The Right Reverend Lady 

Abbess A " (personal name). 

Abbot. The title usually accorded an Abbot is 
Right Reverend ; and the forms of address appro- 
priate to a Mitred Abbot are given by courtesy to all 
Abbots ; excepting, of course those titular degrees 
that belong to the Mitred Abbot. 

Abbreviations. On general principles these 
are to be avoided as often as practicable. Some 
are necessary ; but, in general correspondence, it is 
safe to say that ten times as many are used as are 
necessary. 

In very formal correspondence all abbreviations 
of title, name, office, or of anything that is personal, 
are in bad taste ; for the reasons that they suggest 
haste and look commercial. Mrs. Dahlgren, refer- 
ring to this point in Washington, gives us this ad- 



8 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

vice : ^^ When an official title, as in the case of dip- 
lomatic functionaries, is very long, whatever portion 
of the prefix you give, use the entire word, and then 
add * etc., etc.,' in an under line, which is supposed 
to include all that is claimed/* 

In ordinary correspondence the fixed abbrevia- 
tions in titles, being always intelligible from their 
simpleness and frequent use, should be uniformly 
used. These are such as Mr., Mrs., Esq., Messrs., 
Dr., Col , Rev., etc., etc. The same is true also of 
a few of the States ; but here it is best, as often as 
the space permits, to write the names in full. 

When numbers become the names of streets — 
when they become proper names, that is to say — 
they should never be abbreviated nor written in 
Arabic figures ; that is. Seventh Street should not be 
written '' 7th St.," nor even " 7th Street " ; but both 
words should be written in full ; or at least only the 
word Street abbreviated. " Cross Roads *' should 
never be written " X Roads.*' No proper name 
should be abbreviated ; as " Phil." for Philadelphia, 
'' N. O." for New Orleans, " Bait." for Baltimore, 
** Cinn." for Cincinnati, or the like. These are not 
necessary, and are special favorites with the illiter- 
ate and the conceited. In the superscription of let- 
ters such forms are criminally impertinent. Worse 
than this is the abbreviation of less familiar proper 
names. If one writes " Rock. Co., Virginia," the 
distributing clerk has to pause long enough to recall 
the fact that there is no Rock Co. in Virginia — al- 



THE CORRESPONDENT. q 

though there is in other States — and to guess that 
the word *^ Rock/' is for Rockingham. All this 
takes time and tries patience, and is so much un- 
necessary labor added to an overworked official. 
So, also, of " Ash/' for Ashland, Ashley, Ashmore, 
Ashtabula, and so on ; and ** Green." for Green- 
brier, Greenville, Greenwood, Greenup, etc., etc. ; 
and " Hill.*' for Hillsborough ; and so on to the end 
of the chapter. All such abbreviations are samples 
of rustic impertinence and ignorance combined. 

Abbreviations by syncope are almost as bad as 
the foregoing; such as ** Wmsburgh '* for Williams- 
burgh, " Jastown *' for Jamestown, ^* Jnotown *' for 
Johntown, ^' Washton '' for Washington, and so on. 
This flippant conceit of half-knowledge is more 
troublesome than downright ignorance. 

When two abbreviations identical in form fall to- 
gether — as in Berkeley St., St. Louis " — -it is best to 
spell the word Street out in full. The form " St." 
for Saint, although in a proper name, is so invari- 
ably used that no confusion can arise from its use. 
Such words as Street, Saint, San, Mount, New, should 
generally be written out ; such as North, South, East, 
West, Upper, Lower, Point, Port, Union, and Bay, 
should always be, except as elsewhere stated in the 
names of States or very well known places. 

There are a few abbreviations by syncope in per- 
sonal names that have become tolerable by long use 
which has made them known of all men. Of this class 
are Chas., Jas., Thos., Wm., and some others. The 



10 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

correct form of writing these is the one here given ; 
that is, with no punctuation except the abbreviation 
period at the end. There are two other forms, both 
bad ; to wit, Cha's, having the syncopic apostrophe 
only, and Cha's.^ having both the apostrophe and 
the period. The latter is utterly indefensible on the 
face of it ; and the only issue conceivable is be- 
tween the period and the apostrophe. And here, 
while there is a somewhat classical reason for the 
apostrophe, there is a far stronger one against it ; 
and usage — the tcsus which Horace declares to be 
the arbitrium et jus et norma loquendi — gives its sanc- 
tion to the period. Analogy agrees with usus. The 
stronger reason, however, against the apostrophe lies 
in there being other meanings to it ; such as posses- 
sion and plurality. The possessive of Cha is Cha's ; 
and the plural of Cha, used as a word merely, is 
Cha*s ; just as A*s, B's and C's are the plurals of A, 
B, and C, used as letters merely. The same princi- 
ple applies in the same way to the other names men- 
tioned — J as., Thos., Wm., and so on. 

It is important, in view of the punctuation, to 
keep in mind the distinction, very frequently over- 
looked, between an abbreviated name and a nick- 
name. Thus, the abbreviation of Thomas is '^ Thos." 
while the most common nickname is " Tom," the 
former having the period of abbreviation and the 
latter not. From Joseph, in like manner, we have 
** Jos." and ** Joe," abbreviation and nickname re- 
spectively ; and in this case there is a tertium quid 



THE CORRESPONDENT. n 

— a sort of compromise — in Jo. This is a bit of 
accuracy in abbreviation that has not yet received 
the sanction of general usage; and being useless 
probably never will. Most of our familiar names 
have both, and sometimes a plurality of both ; 
as, William has "Wm.** and ** Will.,'* abbreviations; 
with *' Bill " and " Willie " for nicknames. James 
has " Jas."; with "Jemmy," "Jimmy," and "Jim." 
John has " Jno.," with " Johnny" and " Jack." Ed- 
ward has " Edw." and " Ed." ; with " Ned." Charles 
has " Chas." ; with " Charley." Mary has no abbre- 
viation, unless " May" ("Ma.") be so regarded; but 
is loaded down with nicknames, ranging in absurd- 
ness from " Mamie " to " Moll " and " Polly." 

As germane to the matter of correspondence, es- 
pecially to that of addresses, we give a brief 

LIST. 

A, A, G, Assistant Adjutant-General. This staff 
officer ranks in our military service as a Colonel or 
Major, when on the staff of a General. 

A, B, Artium Baccalaureus. Bachelor of Arts. 
Some abbreviate this degree to B, A. 

A, G, Adjutant-General. In our army this staff 
officer ranks as a Brigadier-General, when of the high- 
est grade. 

A, M. Artium Af agister. Master of Arts. Some- 
times M, A. 

B. A. See A. B. 
Bart, Baronet. 



12 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

B, C Z. Bachelor of Civil Law. 

jBro, Brother. The plural is Bros., not Bro's. 

£. V. Bene vale — farewell. Also Beata Virgo — 
the Blessed Virgin. 

B, V, M. Beata Virgo Maria — Blessed Virgin 
Mary. 

Colo, Colorado. Better than Col, ; in order to 
distinguish it easily from CaL 

Conn, Connecticut. Should never be abbrevi- 
ated C/., for the reason that that might in hasty hand- 
writing be confounded with Vt, 

D, D, Divinitatis Doctor — Doctor of Divinity. 

Dr, Doctor. The r should always be written 
on the line v/ith the -D, and not foisted up to the top 
of the line space, as the c in M"" may be. 

Esq, Esquire. Formerly Esqre, 

Exon, Exonia, Exeter, England. 

Ga, Georgia. Ga. is the best abbreviation of 
Georgia, when one must for any reason be used. 
Geo, should never be used, that form being appro- 
priated for George. 

Inst, Instant — the present month, the month of 
writing. 

K, G, Knight of the Garter. 

Kt, Knight. 

K, T, Knight Templar. In Scotland, Knight 
of the Thistle. 

Ky. Kentucky. Better than Ken,^ for the rea- 
son that Ken, might be mistaken for Kan, 

LL, B, Legum Baccalaureus — Bachelor of Laws. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



13 



Doubling the L indicates plurality ; as MM. means 
Messieurs^ and//, pages. 

LL, D. Legum Doctor. See LL. B, 

M. A. See A. M. 

Mo, Missouri. This abbreviation is excep- 
tional, and almost absurd. The most common ab- 
breviation of a State is the first part of the word ; 
as, Ala,j Conn.y Miss., Mass,, etc. Another is the 
first and last letters; as, Za., Fa., Me,, Ga,, etc. But 
Mo, is a third and unique form ; but long and uni- 
form usage has made it intelligible, and hence it is 
best to keep it. Mis. would be confoundable with 
Miss. J and Mi. with Me. 

M. C, Member of Congress. Master of Cere- 
monies. Master Commandant. 

M, D. Medicince Doctor — Doctor of Medicine. 

Md, Maryland. When the M is written with 
an enlarged small m, as is fashionable among copy- 
book masters, the Md, looks sometimes very like 
Ind, This using of an enlarged small m instead of 
the long-established M — the same vice applies to N, 
P, S, W, and occasionally to others — is a clumsy ex- 
pedient of ignorance to hide itself. The original user, 
not being sure whether a word should begin with a 
capital or not, dodges the responsibility by writing a 
small letter larger than usual; and the copy-book 
masters have perpetuated the clumsy equivocation. 

Messrs, Messieurs — Gentlemen, 

Mme, Madame — Madam. The plural is Mmes. 
for Mesdames. 



H 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



Mr. Mister. See Mister. 

Nebr. Nebraska. Best form ; as Neb. might be 
mistaken for Nev.^ Nevada. 

N. J. New Jersey. These initials are too much 
like N. Y., N. H., N. C, and so on, to make it at all 
times safe to use them for the State. Better, in 
cases where space is limited, write it ** N. Jersey." 

No. Numero — Number. Num, is for Numbers^ 
the book in the Bible. 

N. Y. New York. This should never be ab- 
breviated, except to avoid repetition and where the 
post-office is very well known ; as, *' loo Broadway, 
New York, N. Y.,'' " Brooklyn, N. Y.,'' etc. 

O. S. B, Ordinis Sancti Benedicti — Order of 
Saint Benedict — the Benedictines. For other ab- 
breviations of this character, see Orders^ Religious. 

Fa, Pennsylvania. This is better than Feiin. 
for the reason that the latter is too much like 
Tenn. 

Ph. B. Philosophicz Baccalaureus — Bachelor of 
Philosophy. 

Ph, D, Philosophice Doctor — Doctor of Philoso- 
phy. 

P, P, C. Pour prendre congi — To take leave — 
to say good-by. See T. T. L. 

Q. C. Queen's Council, or Counsel. Queen's 
College. 

P. S. V. P. Repondez s'il vous plait— Reply, if 
you please ; or, P/po/ise, sHl vous plait — A reply, if 
you please. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



15 



St, Saint. Street. When the two fall together 
— as in " Seventh St., St. Louis *' — it is best to write 
the word street in full. 

S, T. D, Sanctce. Theologice Doctor — Doctor of 
Sacred Theology — Doctor of Divinity. See D, D, 

S. T. F, Sanctcd Theologice Professor — Profess- 
or of Sacred Theology — Professor of Theology. 

T, T. L. To take leave. See F. F, C. 

Ult, Ultifjzo {mense) — Last month — the month 
just past, or preceding the time of writing. 

Address. This is sometimes called the Inside 
Address^ in order to distinguish it from the Super- 
scription or Outside Address. They are in all es- 
sentials the same. This Address — embracing title, 
name, and place — all complete — ^both in personal 
and business correspondence, as a rule, should be 
put at the end of the letter — below the signature, and 
on the right-hand margin — rather than at the begin- 
ning of the letter, between the date and the saluta- 
tion. Much business, and perhaps the greater part 
of commercial, correspondence, and a great deal that 
is official, puts it at the beginning. But even in these 
fields — where forms are sometimes the outgrowth 
rather of confident ignorance than of culture — the 
stronger reasons are on the side of putting the Ad- 
dress where it is properly put in the correspondence 
of educated people, as above indicated. It is, how- 
ever, an open question to-day that must settle itself 
by usage ; and the individual is free to do as he pre- 
fers. 



1 6 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

1. A gentleman's Address ordinarily should be 
something like this : 

A B , Esq., 

Halifax, 

Marion Co., 

Ohio. 

2. When the post-office is a city, it is generally 
desirable, and where there are letter-carriers em- 
ployed it is necessary, to give the number and the 
street ; and when a city is large enough to employ 
carriers, it is hardly ever, if ever, necessary to give 
the county ; as — 

A B , Esq., 

123 Fifth Avenue, 

New York, 

N. Y. 
In cases of this kind it is entirely unnecessary 
to v/rite " No.*' before the figures giving the num- 
ber ; as it is in this case to write *^ City " after ^' New 
York.*' 

3. In cities, again, in business correspondence, 
it is sometimes desirable, in order to facilitate deliv- 
ery, to give the part of the house ; as — 

A B , Esq., 

Room 10, 

470 Tremont St., 

Boston, 
Mass. 

4. Some streets contain the idea in the name, so 
that it is not necessary to add " St/' to it ; as — 



THE CORRESPOXDENT. 



17 



A B , Esq., 

567 Broadway, 

New York, 

N. Y. 
Here " way " conveys the idea of street. 

5. It would be absurd to give all the points of 
an Address at the same time, in such cases as this : 

A B , Esq., 

Room 18, 

28 Fulton St., 

New York, 

New York Co., 
New York. 
It is the custom in England to put a comma be- 
tween the number of a street and the name of it ; 
as — " 46, Oxford St." This is proper, but it has not 
been adopted in America to any extent. Every rea- 
son and all analog}' are in favor of it ; and it should 
be adopted. 

See Place and Date. 

Adjutant. In the United States Army an Ad- 
jutant ranks as a First Lieutenant. In some mili- 
tary organizations the Adjutant's rank is that of Cap- 
tain ; and in such case he is addressed accordingly. 
See Captain. Salutation : " Sir '' or '' Adjutant," the 
former preferred generally. Complimentary close : 
*' I beg to remain, yours respectfully,*' or some- 
thing equivalent to it. Superscription : " Lieutenant 
A B , Adjutant 15th Regiment U. S. Infant- 
ry," etc. This is American usage. Formerly it was 



1 8 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

quite common to write, "A B , Esq., Adju- 
tant 15th Regiment, U. S. Infantry," etc. 

Admiral. The first officer in the United States 
Navy corresponds in rank to the General in the 
Army. He commands the fleets of the United States. 
Salutation : " Sir ** ; and this is used in every grade 
of office in the Navy. Complimentary close : " I 
have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant.*' 
Superscription: "To Admiral A B , Com- 
manding the Fleets of the United States," etc. ; " To 

Admiral A B , Commanding United States 

Navy," etc. ; or, more simple and equally respectful, 
" To the Admiral of the Navy of the United States," 
etc. 

This, from the Navy Regulations^ bears upon the 
matter in hand : " Line officers in the Navy, down 
to and including Commander, will be addressed by 
their proper title ; below the rank of Commander, 
either by the title of their grade, or Mr, Officers of 
the Marine Corps above the rank of First Lieutenant 
will be addressed by their military title, brevet or 
lineal ; of and below that rank, by their title of Mr, 
Officers not of the line will be addressed by their 
titles, or as Mr, or Dr.y as the case may be." 

Officers of the Navy take rank in the following 
order : Admiral, Vice-Admiral, Rear-Admiral, Com- 
modore, Captain, Commander, Lieutenant - Com- 
mander, Lieutenant, Master, Ensign. 

Alderman. Salutation : ** Sir." Compliment- 
ary close : " I beg to remain, your obedient servant," 



THE CORRESPONDENT. ig 

or, " I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient serv- 
ant." Superscription : ** To Mr. Alderman B ,*' 

etc. As an individual the Alderman is addressed as 
above — the same forms as a Sheriff — see Sheriff. As 
a body, Aldermen are Honorable. See Mayor. 

Ambassador. We should accord to all For- 
eign Ambassadors very scrupulous titular respect. 
They are entitled to it at home, and we should be 
liberal in giving it to them here. All are entitled to 
Excellency. The salutation may be, *^ Sir,'' " Your 
Excellency " ; and, if the individual is a Lord at 
home, ** My Lord," or such title as will fit his home 
rank. Complimentary close : ** I have the honor to 
be. Sir, your Excellency's obedient servant," etc., 
etc. The superscription — dependent on home rank, 
of course : '^ To the Marquis of A , Envoy Ex- 
traordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from H. M. 

the King of A ," or "To the Honorable A 

B , Minister Resident," etc. 

By British usage the wives of Ambassadors are 
entitled to Excellency in both complimentary close 
and in superscription. 

Resident Ministers rank with Ambassadors and 
Plenipotentiaries. An Envoy merely is second rank 
or class, and a Charge d' Affaires third. Ministers and 
Ambassadors are permanent functionaries. 

Our own Ministers abroad are accorded our best 
terms of respect. Salutation : " Sir " or *^ Your Ex- 
cellency." Complimentary close : "I have the hon- 
or to be, Sir, your obedient servant," or " I have the 



20 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

honor to be your Excellency's most obedient serv- 
ant/' Superscription : ** To His Excellency A 



B , Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo- 
tentiary at the Court of A /' etc. 

Apostolic Prothonotary. See Prelate, 
Archbishop. The Anglican Archbishop is ad- 
dressed in salutation as ** My Lord," " My Lord 
Archbishop," or " May it please your Grace." Com- 
plimentary close : ** I have the honor to be, with the 
highest respect. My Lord Archbishop, your Grace's 
most obedient servant." Superscription : " To His 

Grace the Lord Archbishop of A ," or *' To 

the Most Reverend Father in God A ^ Lord 

Archbishop of B ." 

The Roman Catholic salutation for their Arch- 
bishop is " Most Reverend and Respected Sir " ; or, 
from a friend or clergyman, " Most Reverend and 
Dear Sir." Complimentary close : " I have the hon- 
or to be. Most Reverend Sir [or, to correspond to 
the salutation], your obedient servant." Superscrip- 
tion : " To the Most Reverend Archbishop A ," 

or " To the Most Reverend A B , Arch- 
bishop of C ." 

. Archdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church 
this dignitary is addressed, in salutation, as " Ven- 
erable Father," '* Venerable Sir," and sometimes 
" Reverend Sir." Complimentary close : *^ I have 
the honor to be, Venerable Father, your most obe- 
dient servant." Superscription : ^^ Venerable A 

B , Archdeacon of C ," etc. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 2 1 

The Archdeacon seems to be in titular rank be- 
tween Right Reverend and Very Reverend, and not 
essentially different from the latter. He is inferior 
in rank to a Patriarch, an Archbishop, a Bishop, an 
Abbot, and a Prelate. The only Archdeacon we 
have had in the United States was the late Arch- 
deacon McCarron, of New York. 

Associate Justice. See Judge, 

Attorney. In America the salutation of an At- 
torney — as of all kinds of lawyers — is " Sir *' or 
*' Dear Sir '* ; the complimentary close, that usual 
for gentlemen ; and the superscription title always 
Esquire. See Esquire, 

Attorney-General of a State. This officer 
should be addressed the same as the Attorney-Gen- 
eral of the United States. See Cabinet Officer, 

Attorney-General of the United States. 
See Cabinet Officer. 

Baron. The Baron takes rank with a Viscount, 
and his epistolatory salutation is ^^ My Lord." Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be your 
Lordship's obedient servant." Superscription : ** To 
the Right Honorable the Lord A ." 

Baroness. Salutation : " My Lady." Compli- 
mentary close : **I have the honor to be your Lady- 
ship's obedient servant," Superscription : ^* To the 
Right Honorable the Lady [or, the Baroness] 



Baronet. Salutation : *'Sir," ''Dear Sir," ''Dear 
Sir John," as the case may be. Complimentary close : 



22 THE CORRESPONJDEiVT. 

** I have the honor to be, Sir [or whatever corre- 
sponds to the salutation], your obedient servant." 

Superscription: **To Sir John A ," etc. To this 

may be added in very formal letters the title, usually 
abbreviated, *' Bart. " ; but its use in ordinary letters 
is like that of A. M. or M. D. after a name — rather 
stiff. See Sir, 

The wives of Baronets are addressed in saluta- 
tion and complimentary close as ladies ordinarily 

are; the superscription being, "To Lady A 

B ," etc. 

Bishop. The Anglican Bishop is to be ad- 
dressed in salutation as *^ My Lord," " My Lord 
Bishop," " May it please your Lordship," etc. Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be, my Lord 
[following the salutation naturally], your Lordship's 
most obedient servant." Superscription : ^* To the 
Right Reverend, the Lord Bishop of A ," etc. 

If a Bishop is also a Privy Councilor, the super- 
scription should be, '^ To the Right Honorable and 

Right Reverend, the Lord Bishop of A ." If a 

Peer, " To the Right Honorable and Right Rever- 
end, the Baron [or what else it may be] A , 

Lord Bishop of B " ; and if the son of a Peer, 

"To the Right Honorable and Right Reverend 

Lord Henry A , Lord Bishop of B "; or, 

" To the Honorable and Right Reverend, the Lord 
Bishop of C ." 

In America Bishops of Protestant churches are 
addressed as Right Reverend ; except those of the 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



23 



Methodist Episcopal Church, who, we understand, 
prefer to be styled simply Reverend. 

The Roman Catholic Bishop should be addressed 
as ^^ Right Reverend Sir ** ; or, less formally, " Right 
Reverend and Dear Sir " ; or by personal friends, 
** Right Reverend and Dear Bishop," but this is of 
the flavor of stilted intimacy. Complimentary close : 
" I have the honor to be [or, to remain]. Right Rev- 
erend Sir, your obedient servant.'' Superscription : 

'' To the Right Reverend Bishop A '' ; or " To 

the Right Reverend A B , Bishop of C ." 

Board. See President of a Board, 

Board of Education. A petition or memorial 
to a Board, say of Education, may begin with " Gen- 
tlemen " ; or, when it is a large or important cor- 
poration, " May it please your Honorable Body.*' 
Complimentary close : *^ All of which is respectfully 
submitted." Superscription, '^ To the President [or 
Chairman, as the case may be] and Members of the 
Board of A of B /' etc. All other communi- 
cations may be addressed to the President or Chair- 
man officially ; and in some instances — as in impart- 
ing information — it is in better taste to address the 
Secretary of the Board. Always ascertain definitely 
whether the head of the Board is a President or a 
Chairman. 

Body of the Letter. This should begin one 
line or space below the salutation, and just where 
the salutation closes. The letter should begin on 
the first page of the four that make the usual sheet 



24 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



of letter or note paper. If the body cover more 
than one page, and less than two, the order may be 
I and 3. If there are more than two pages, the or- 
der should be i, 2, 3, and 4. 

The matter of a letter belongs to the mind of the 
writer, and must come of the occasion. The manner 
of it belongs to the domain of rhetoric, and is out- 
side the aim of this little book. The suggestions 
here tendered are for that class of persons that know 
what they want to write. 

Brace. See Punctuation. 

Brigadier-General. See General, 

Brother. When this pre-title is used, as it gen- 
erally is by Monks and other ecclesiastics of like 
order, in the signature of a letter — as, " Brother 

A " — the salutation in reply may be *^ Sir," 

**Dear Sir," or some such form; and the compli- 
mentary close, to correspond; while the address 
proper and the superscription should be simply 

*^ Brother A ," even should the party be known 

to be a Professor or a President of a college. He 
prefers " Brother " to *^ Professor " ; and we should 
not question his taste nor his right. 

Cabinet Officer. This official is to be ad- 
dressed, in epistolary salutation, as *^ Sir." Compli- 
mentary close : " I have the honor to be, Sir, re- 
spectfully your obedient servant " ; or any form that 
conveys the same sense. Superscription : " To the 
Honorable the Secretary of State." Instead of 
*^ the Secretary of State," the forms for the other 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



25 



co-ordinate officers respectively are, *' the Secretary 
of the Treasury/' " the Secretary of War/' " the 
Secretary of the Navy/' "the Secretary of the In- 
terior/' "the Postmaster-General/' and "the At- 
torney-General." Or, with equal propriety, " To the 

Honorable A B , Secretary of State " ; and 

so of the rest. In general, the superscription in such 
cases should be directed rather to the office than to 
the officer ; and cases may arise wherein the name 
of the officer is not known. The address should be 
made complete without the name. 

Captain, Army. Salutation: "Captain," or 
"Sir." See GeneraL The salutation in this and all 
similar addresses should never be abbreviated. It 
is an impertinence to write " Capt." for Captain. 
Complimentary close : " I have the honor to be, Cap- 
tain [or, " Sir," following the salutation], your obe- 
dient servant." Superscription : " Captain A 

B , Company A, Seventh Regiment, U. S. Cav- 
alry." 

Captain, Navy. The fifth officer in rank com- 
mands vessels of the second class. See Admiral. 

Cardinal. Salutation : "Most Eminent Sir," or 
" Most Eminent and Reverend Sir." Complimentary 
close : " Of your Eminence the most obedient and 
humble servant/' or " I have the honor to remain. 
Most Eminent Sir, with profound respect, your obe- 
dient and humble servant." A Catholic belonging 
to the Cardinal's diocese may, if he is an ecclesias- 
tic, add, " and subject " to the complimentary close ; 
3 



26 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

and if a layman, may add, "and son." Superscrip- 
tion : " To His Eminence Cardinal A /* In the 

event of a Cardinal's being an Archbishop, a Bishop, 
or a Patriarch, it will be competent to add that to 

the above ; as, " To His Eminence Cardinal A , 

Archbishop of A ." A Cardinal should never 

be addressed with such titles as D. D., or S. T. D., 
these being less distinctions, and being included in 
the greater one of Cardinal. 

On the spacing of letter, see Pope, 

Charg6 d' Affaires. A third-class Minister ; the 
second being Envoy ; and the first embracing Am- 
bassadors, Plenipotentiaries, and Resident Ministers. 
The titular appellative is Esquire. 

Chief Justice. See Judge and Vice-President 

Clergyman. In cases where the salutation dif- 
fers — as it need hardly ever differ — from that of non- 
professional gentlemen, it is usually ** Reverend Sir." 
This is very common in addressing the Clergyman — 
priest, parson, preacher, pastor, divine, minister of 
the gospel, rabbi, reader, and so on. The compli- 
mentary close follows the salutation, as is usual in 
all cases of every degree and rank, and in the ab- 
sence of all degrees and ranks. Superscription : 

^'Reverend A B ," or " Reverend Mr. B r 

In these cases, the abbreviated form, "Rev./' seems 
to bp accepted generally. 

In conversation the Clergyman is usually 5,c- 
costed, as any other gentleman should be, as " Sir." 
Among Irish Catholics many say to the Priest 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



2^ 



"Your Reverence/' which is both correct and court- 
eous; but American spirit makes it, and all such 
addresses, out of the question. 

Colonel. Salutation : *^ Colonel," or, from a 
civilian, "Sir." The "Colonel" should never be 
abbreviated in such use. See Ge?ieraL Compli- 
mentary close : " I have the honor to be, Cololiel, 
your obedient servant." Superscription: "Colonel 

A B , commanding First Cavalry, U. S. 

Army," or " Colonel A- B , U. S. A., Fort 

C ," etc. 

Colon. See Pu7tcttiafion. 

Comma. See Punctuation, 

Commander. The sixth officer in the U. S 
Navy, commanding vessels of the third class. See 
Admiral, 

Commissioners. See President of a Board, 

Commodore. The fourth officer in the U. S. 
Navy, commanding a squadron — ships of the first 
class. Salutation: "Sir." Upon this point, see 
Admiral, Complimentary close : " I have the honor 
to be, Sir, your obedient servant." Superscription : 

" To Commodore A B ^ commanding C 

Squadron " ; or, " To Commodore A B , U. 

S. Navy," etc. 

Commons, House of. The House as a body 
is to be addressed, in salutation : " May it please 
your Honorable House." Superscription : " To the 
Honorable the Commons of the United Kingdom of 
Great Britain and Ireland." All members of the 



28 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

House of Commons are entitled by law to the title 
of Esquire. See Esqtcire, 

Company, President of a. See President of 
a Board, 

Congress, Member of. See Senator^ Repre- 
se7itativey etc. 

Consul. Salutation: "Sir.** Complimentary- 
close : ^^ I beg to remain, Sir, your obedient servant." 

Superscription : " To A B , Esq., Consul at 

C ," etc. 

Complimentary Close. This follows the body 
of the letter and immediately precedes the signa- 
ture. It is the ** Yours respectfully," the " Faithfully 
yours," etc., with which we take leave of our corre- 
spondents. The place for it is one line or space be- 
low the last line of the body of the letter. It should 
generally begin one space or about half an inch — on 
letter-paper, three quarters of an inch — farther to 
the right than a paragraph. As to form, the compli- 
mentary close should correspond to the salutation ; 
and like the salutation must depend upon the rela- 
tion between the two parties to a letter, and must 
get it and its form from that relation. *^ Respect- 
fully," "Very respectfully," "Most respectfully," 
etc., correspond to " Sir," " Madam," etc. ; and are 
the usual ones for formal or impersonal correspond- 
ence between individuals, both public and private-. 
This, like the salutation, again, is to be softened, 
warmed, modified, and transformed, to suit the rela- 
tion of the two parties. " Dear Sir " and *' Dear 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



29 



Madam** call for "Yours truly/* "Yours sincerely/' 
"Yours faithfully/* and so on. The more familiar 
the salutation is, the more so should be the corre- 
sponding complimentary close. It would be incon- 
gruous if not absurd, for example, to begin a letter 
with " Sir " and close it with " Devotedly yours,** as 
it would, on the other hand, to begin with " My Dear 
Friend ** and close with " Very respectfully yours.** 

The ordinary complimentary close used by the 
officials in Washington, and indeed in formal 
correspondence generally, is " Yours respectfully.*' 
This in personal letters varies, warms, and fluc- 
tuates, through "Yours truly,** "Yours faithfully,** 
"Ever yours,** "Yours till death,** and a possible 
thousand or two others, all growing out of feeling or 
of relations. In all cases of doubt, it is safer and in 
all respects better to err in the direction of too much 
than of too little ceremony or formality in this matter. 

Between firms in business, " Yours respectfully,*' 
or its equivalent in some form, is proper on all occa- 
sions ; as " Gentlemen ** is for a salutation. 

As in the case of the salutation — wherever that 
may be omitted, say — the complimentary close is 
better dispensed with. It looks at first sight abrupt ; 
but it is natural, and where the question of personal 
respect can not arise, it is useless ; and this is the 
crucial test of all forms. End your written conver- 
sational communication — as you end your conversa- 
tion — without a formal close of any kind. See Salu-- 
tation. 



30 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



Consul-General. Same as Consul, 

Count. See Earl. 

Countess. Salutation : *' Madam/' " My Lady." 
Complimentary close : ^* I have the honor to be your 
Ladyship's most faithful and obedient servant." Su- 
perscription : '^ To the Right Honorable the Count- 
ess of A ." 

County. Part of the address and of the date 
of letters. See Address and Date, In the case of 
large cities, like New York, New Orleans, Philadel- 
phia, Chicago, and the like, it is unnecessary to give 
the County ; and in all cases where the address is 
already long with room, number, street, etc., etc., it 
is really better to omit things not necessary ; such 
as County, although it is required by law. It is im- 
portant to give the County in all cases where there 
are in the same State two post-offices closely resem- 
bling each other ; as Rockwell (in Pecos Co.) and 
Rockwall (in Rockwall Co.), Texas. The law does 
not permit two post-offices of precisely the same 
name in any State ; but there are many confusing 
because close resemblances. 

Court. A petition to a Civil Court should be 
addressed ^* Your Honors," or *^ May it please your 
Honors," or *^ May it please the Honorable Court." 
Superscription : " To the Honorable the Judges of 
the A Court." 

Dash. See Punctuation, 

Date. This includes both the place^ which is 
the Address of the writer, and the ti7ne of writing ; 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



31 



as, "Clinton, Ford Co., Virginia, 12 September, 
1885.*' The word Date is correctly used in this 
technical sense when we say, *^ Your letter dated at 
Clinton, Ford Co., Virginia, 12 September, 1885, has 
been received." For the place, see Address, 

The Date is the beginning of a letter, and should 
occupy at least three lines ; sometimes four — two or 
three for the place and one for the time. It should 
begin about two inches from the top of the page, not 
far from the middle of the line ; and should end at 
or very near the right margin. 

The order above given is correct as to both place 
and time ; and for precisely the same reason. It is 
the logical because the natural order ; and the one 
used in scientific classifications. It is important both 
in itself and for uniformity. The order may be re- 
versed ; but if so, should be reversed throughout. 

It is easy to see that the items of place should be 
in the order mentioned — the larger following the 
smaller, the container following the contained. No 
one could fail to see the absurdity of " Ford Co., 
Clinton, Virginia," and of "Ford Co., Virginia, Clin- 
ton," as well as of " Virginia, Clinton, Ford Co. " ; 
and also what annoyance and delay it would cause 
the distributing clerks. 

Now, as to the time. It is no less absurd to 
write "September 12, 1885," or "September, 1885, 
12," or " 1885, 12 September." The same law obtains 
and the same rule applies. The meaning of the ex- 
pression is, "This is the 12th day of the month Sep- 



32 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



tember of the year 1885 '* and the items should be in 
that order no less when the expression is abbreviated 
to "12 September, 1885/' 

Besides, when the old style and that used by the 
Quakers and many others of to-day — that of writing 
the number of the month instead of its name as well 
as that of the day, as in ** 12, 9, 1885,*' or yet " 12/9, 
1885,*' for the above date — are adopted, uniformity 
becomes indispensable ; and there can be no uni- 
formity except by adhering to a logical principle. In 
this matter the Quakers and all other reasoning peo- 
ple always do this. Without such uniformity it is 
simply impossible, under some circumstances, to 
make out what time is intended. This is the case 
whenever the day-number is less than thirteen — 
nearly half the time. Thus, " 9, 12, 1885 '* may mean 
either the 12th of September or the 9th of Decem- 
ber ; and cases in law may arise in which the right 
to property, an alibi, legitimacy and inheritance, or 
even a human life, may depend upon which of the 
two dates is meant. A snip of a fledgling book- 
keeper may confidently announce that it makes no 
difference which order is used ; but every experi- 
enced man of business or man of reflection knows 
that it is of importance and may be of vital import- 
ance. 

It is easy to trace the origin of the absurd ar- 
rangement, as in ** September 12, 1885." It comes 
from the day-book directly. It is a commercial con- 
venience ignorantly pushed into correspondence. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 33 

The book-keeper puts the year at the head of his 
page ; at the head of his date-column puts the 
month, and under that the day of the month — an ar- 
rangement perfectly legitimate and logical for that 
use. He enters the successive items of his date thus, 
" 1885, September, 12/' If taken into correspond- 
ence entire as it stands, it would be eccentric, but 
not in itself absurd at all. But the book-keeper that 
can not see above his ledger, when he turns to cor- 
respondence, begins with his day-book and ledger 
current date, "Sept. 12"; and, writing automati- 
cally as he has learned to do, adds (for he just there 
perceives the absence of a year) the year. 

In his lofty contempt for the English, Napoleon 
called them a nation of shopkeepers. Might not 
some one to-day, with as much justice, call us a na- 
tion of book-keepers ? 

No one would think of dating a letter "Ford Co., 
Clinton, Virginia '' ; and yet it is just as reasonable 
as to write "September 12, 1885." This style may 
be said to be American ; and we have heard that 
defense urged in its favor. It certainly is not Eng- 
lish, although a few Englishmen use it. It is surely a 
beggarly patriotism that would retain a usage on the 
plea that it is American, when it is at the same time 
silly. 

All letters, notes, cards, and every missive epis- 
tolary of every kind, should be dated. To omit the 
date is or may be an inconvenience, and is therefore 
a breach of propriety. In business it is sheer imper- 



34 '^he: correspondent, 

tinence ; and everywhere vulgar. In replying to an 
undated missive, especially if a business letter, it is 
proper to call attention to the absence of a date, in 
some way, so that if it were an inadvertence the 
writer may avoid the error next time. Business let- 
ters in reply to an undated one may very properly 
begin in some such way as this : '' In reply to your 
favor without date just received—" ; and to a sec- 
ond from the same source : '' In reply to your date- 
less letter just received — ." 

Dean. In the Anglican Church the Dean is ad- 
dressed, in salutation, as '' My Lord," " May it please 
your Lordship." Complimentary close : " I have the 
honor to be your Lordship's most obedient servant.*' 
Superscription : '' To the Very Reverend Dean of 

^ r or '' To the Reverend Doctor B , Dean 

of C ." 

Chancellors are addressed in the same way. 

Dear Sir. This salutation belongs to any man 
entitled to the titles of Mr. and Esq. ; this both in 
Great Britain and in America. It is one degree 
more intimate and personal than '' Sir " ; and in 
most business correspondence in this country it 
takes the place of " Sir," with precisely the same 
meaning and scope. See Sir, 

Degrees. Scholastic degrees — M. D., D. D., 
A. B., A. M., etc.— are always abbreviated in ad- 
dresses. Titular addresses of high rank, however 
—such as President, Governor, Cardinal, General, 
Archbishop, etc.— should never be abbreviated in 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



35 



such use. Titles below A. M. in letters and M. D. 
in medicine, for example, should never be given in 
superscriptions ; and these only in exceptional cases. 
It is not necessary, and mainly for that reason not 
in good taste, for example, to address a man as ^' Mr. 

A B , A. M.,^' nor " C D , Esq., A. B." 

It is admissible on title-pages and catalogues perhaps 
to multiply titles ; as John Tyndall, LL. D., F. R. S., 
etc. But it would be absurd to put two on his let- 
ters ; and even one such is questionable. 

Dentist. Very rarely will there be occasion to 
make any distinction between the address of a Den- 
tist and that of an ordinary Physician. Salutation : 
" Sir," or '' Dear Sir.*' Complimentary close : " I 
beg to remain yours respectfully.'* Superscription : 

" Dr. A B " ; or, more formally when it is 

desirable to point out his specialty, " A B , 

D. D. S." (Doctor of Dental Surgery). 

Directors. See President of a Board, 

Divine. See Clergyman. 

Doctor of Divinity. Salutation : " Sir." Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be, Sir, your 
obedient servant." Superscription : " To the Rev- 
erend Dr. A B " ; or, where rigid formality 

is demanded, ^' Reverend A B , D. D." 

Doctor of Laws. This degree is almost always 
joined with some office or rank, and for that reason 
rarely changes the style of address. If it stands 
alone, it is usually indicated by using Doctor, in the 
same way that a degree of Doctor of Medicine is. 



36 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Doctor of Medicine. See Physician. 

Domestic Prelate. See Prelate. 

Dowager. The widow of a nobleman is ad- 
dressed by the title of her late husband, with the 
addition of Dowager; as, " To the Right Honorable 
the Dowager Countess of A .*' 

Duchess. Salutation : " May it please your 
Grace/' "Your Grace/' " Madam." Complimentary 
close : " I have the honor to be, Madam, your 
Grace's most faithful, obedient servant." Super- 
scription : ^^ To Her Grace the Duchess of A ." 

Duke. Salutation : '' My Lord Duke," or *' May 
it please your Grace." Complimentary close : " I 
have the honor to be, my Lord Duke, your Grace's 
most obedient humble servant." Superscription : 
" To His Grace the Duke of A ," or, when hold- 
ing that rank, " To His Royal Highness the Duke 
of York." 

Correspondence with the oldest sons of Dukes, 
Marquesses, and Earls, has the same forms as with 
Earls, and with their wives as with Countesses ; 
with the younger sons of these parties, as with 
Barons, and with their wives as with Baronesses, 
the superscription being, *^ To the Right Honorable 

Lord (or Lady) A ," as the case may be ; with 

the daughters of Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls, as 
with Countesses, the superscription being, '^ To the 
Honorable Lady Isabel A ." 

The Duke is the highest order of nobility, next 
below the Prince of Wales. The orders run thus : 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



37 



Prince, Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, Bar- 
onet, Knight. 

Had. This nobleman ranks below a Marquess 
and above a Viscount. The rank corresponds to the 
Due in France and the Graaf of Germany. Saluta- 
tion : '^ My Lord." Complimentary close : " I have 
the honor to be your Lordship's most obedient ser- 
vant." Superscription : ^^ To the Right Honorable 
the Earl of A r 

We communicate with the oldest sons of Dukes, 
Marquesses, and Earls, in the same manner as with 
Earls, and with their wives ; as with Countesses ; 
with the younger sons of Earls, and with all the 
sons of Viscounts and Barons, as with untitled gen- 
tlemen ; the superscription, however, being, " To the 

Honorable A B ." With the wives of these 

younger sons in the same manner, prefixing Mrs. to 
the Christian name, thus : " To the Honorable Mrs. 
Henry A ." 

For the daughters of Earls, see Duke, 

Eminence. The title of a Cardinal in the Ro- 
man Catholic Church. See Cardinal, 

Emperor. No English-speaking sovereign has 
this title or form of royalty except Queen Victoria, 
who is Empress of India ; but this does not, we be- 
lieve, in any way affect matters of correspondence. 
The title belongs to official and state papers, but not 
to letters. The forms due a King will doubtless fit 
an Emperor well enough for an American's use. 

Envelopes. These are to-day in almost univer- 
4 



38 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

sal use ; and their use is relatively recent. Our 
fathers frequently folded their letters so as to make 
the fourth page of the sheet serve for envelope ; and 
our grandfathers always did. The same principles 
should guide us in selecting Envelopes as in selecting 
paper. The Envelope, like the paper, should be 
white and plain, and should correspond to the paper 
used as to size and quality. See Paper^ Superscrip- 
tion^ and Wax, 

Envoy is a second-class Minister ; the first em- 
bracing Ambassadors, Plenipotentiaries, and Resi- 
dent Ministers. The Envoy is not resident, and 
his standing is derived from his other offices. In 
general, when he has no other official title, the En- 
voy should be addressed as Honorable. See Am- 
bassador, 

Epistle. The word is of Greek origin, and 
means a something sent to some one ; a missive let- 
ter. It is sometimes used to indicate a stated or 
formal communication ; as, the Epistles of St. Paul, 
the Epistles of Horace. See Letter. 

Esquire. This is the proper epistolary title of 
all untitled gentlemen, both in England and Amer- 
ica. The contraction is " Esq.," formerly *' Esqre." 
The best-informed classes in the United States, so 
far as they recognize authority and precedent in 
matters of form, follow the usages of the mother- 
country ; and whatever in the matters before us is 
British, or even English, is here generally accepted 
as correct ; not as a matter of mere following, but 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



39 



as the result of the best conditions to decide forms. 
Accordingly, in epistolary addresses, Esquire is ac- 
cepted as the correct title of a gentleman that has 
no professional title of either courtesy or right. 

Upon this point Mr. Richard Grant White, in his 
Words and their Uses, opposes this use of Esquire in 
this country. He gives us this sarcastic fling : " An 
attempt to deprive any citizen of this democratic 
republic of his right to be called an esquire by his 
friends and all his correspondents would be an out- 
rage upon our free institutions, and perhaps treason 
to the natural rights of man, whatever they may be. 
Upon this subject I confess myself fit only to be a 
learner ; but I have yet to discover what a man 
means when he addresses a letter to John Dash, Esq. 
(who is in no manner distinguished or distinguish- 
able from other Dashes), except that Mr. Dash shall 
think he means to be polite.*' A Spaniard might 
as well exclaim against and sneer at the universal 
use of Don — the Latin Doininus, Lord — in his coun- 
try. There the king is called Don Alfonso, and the 
beggar calls himself Don Diego (Lord Jack) ; and 
Spain is not more democratic republican than Amer- 
ica. But it is a question of fact — an established 
esse — and not of speculative sentiment. 

In all cases, in this country, even in mere busi- 
ness correspondence, when the status of the indi- 
vidual addressed is well known, it is proper to give 
the title of Esquire to lawyers. Dr. to physicians. 
Rev. to preachers. Prof, to professors. Gen. to gen- 



40 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



erals, and so on. But, in addressing a man of whom 
we know absolutely nothing beyond his sex — and 
the matter of his letter reveals nothing further — it is 
best to use Mr. Cases of this kind often occur, 
especially in business correspondence ; and in all 
such it is safest to address the party as Mr. This, 
for the reason that it is less incongruous, not to say 
absurd, to call a clergyman, a professor, or even a 
lawyer plain Mister, than to call a physician or a 
parson Esquire. Mr., in America, is always respect- 
able at least, and generally respectable enough. In 
like manner, when even the sex of the correspond- 
ent is unknown — as frequently occurs through the 
thoughtlessness, ignorance, or affectation of women, 
or the effeminacy of men — the best thing to do, 
though far from satisfactory, is to use Mr. ; that 
being much nearer Mrs. or Miss than Esq. would 
be. The alternative is to omit the title, for which 
our epistolary world is not quite ready. 

It would, of course, be absurd to address, say, a 
valet, a boot-black, a rag-picker, or a chimney-sweep, 
as Esquire. Hence these and like persons — worthy 
as kings or Congressmen they may be, and all that, 
the freeman that wants votes may say — when ad- 
dressed on paper must be addressed with some title ; 
and Mister, if the party is an adult, is the best that 
we have. Youths of these classes — as of all other 
classes, in this country that flinches at the mere 
mention of class — should be written to as Master. 
The boy that we may accost as Sam or Dick, or even 



THE CORRESPONDEJSTT, 



41 



as Boy, is entitled to Master when we address him in 
writing. It may be unrepublican and undemocratic 
and even un-American to insist upon speaking of 
classes where, legislatively speaking, there are none ; 
but nature and society antedate and subordinate 
the theories of demagogues and the pulings of politi- 
cians. 

In Great Britain the following persons are en- 
titled by law to be called Esquire : i. Officers of the 
Queen's Court and Household ; 2. Officers of the 
Army and of the Navy ; 3. Esquires of Knights of 
the Bath ; 4. Lords of Manors, Chiefs of Clans, and 
other Tenants of the Crown in capite — these last be- 
ing Esquires by prescription; 5, Esquires created 
to that rank by patent, and their eldest sons in per- 
petual succession ; 6. The sons of Peers, whether 
known in general as Lords or Honorables — that is, 
of Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons ; 
7. The oldest sons of Peers' sons, and their sons, 
etc.; 8. The sons of the youngest sons of Dukes and 
Marquesses, and their eldest sons — this excluding 
Earls, Viscounts, and Barons ; 9. The sons of Baro- 
nets; 10. The oldest sons of Knights ; 11. Members 
of the House of Commons ; 12. Sheriffs of Counties ; 

13. Bachelors of Divinity, of Law, and of Physic; 

14. Doctors of Law and of Medicine ; 15. Barristers 
at Law; 16. Counselors of Law; 17. Esquires by 
office, such as Justices of the Peace ; and, 18. May- 
ors of towns, during office. 

Then by courtesy the people of Great Britain ac- 



42 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



cord the title to Attorneys and Solicitors, Surgeons, 
Merchants, Bankers, the Landed Gentry, and to all 
Gentlemen living in independence. 

The colloquial pre-title Squire^ that is used wher- 
ever the word Esquire is known as a personal title, is 
neither slang nor an abbreviation ; but a legitimate 
word, fully established by use, and necessary. Es- 
quire is an office or title ; squire is a person. It is 
absurd to put an apostrophe to indicate the dropping 
of the e. It is derived from Esquire, by apheresis 
regularly, as are, maybe, a score of words in our lan- 
guage. It is as incongruous to say *^ Esquire A " 

as it would be to say "A B , Squire"; and 

these examples illustrate the well-defined difference 
between the two words. Webster is in error in mak- 
ing it synonymous with Esquire. It is another and 
a separate word. 

Excellency. A title sometimes given to the 
President of the United States, and generally to 
Governors of States and Colonies, American and 
English, and to Foreign Ministers, as well as to 
American Ministers abroad — including all Plenipo- 
tentiaries and Ministers Resident. In Massachu- 
setts and South Carolina, Excellency is or has been 
the legal title of the Governors. 

Field-Marshal. An English officer, ranking 
next to the Captain-General, or the highest military 
officer in the kingdom. Salutation : " My Lord.'' 
Complimentary close : ^* I have the honor to be your 
Lordship's most humble servant." Superscription : 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 43 

'* To Field-Marshal His Grace the Duke of A r 

See Prince-Consort, 

Folding'. If the letter consists of more than 
one sheet, the sheets should be arranged in order 
and paged carefully. 

A letter-sheet should be folded from the bottom 
forward, bringing the lower edge near the top edge 
— so as to make the half-length a little shorter than 
the envelope — and then break the fold. Next, fold 
twice the other way, beginning at the left edge, fold- 
ing toward the right. Measure these folds also, so 
as to fit the envelope. Put the letter thus folded in- 
to the envelope, the open edge outward. 

When the mass of the letter is such as to need a 
long or dispatch envelope, the folding should be 
from the bottom, making a three-fold letter, the 
length being the width of the letter-sheet. 

A note-sheet is to be folded twice, from the bot- 
tom forward, the size of the folds to be made to suit 
the envelope. Some years ago it was quite fashion-^ 
able to fold the note-sheet first longitudinally, and 
then the other way ; but with heavy paper this is not 
so neat as the first form. When the envelope used is 
nearly square, a single fold of the note-sheet, bottom 
to top and broken in the middle, is the proper fold. 

Fancy shapes require fancy folds ; and both are 
to be eschewed. 

Whenever the envelope and sheet are arranged 
for each other, the folding should conform to the ar- 
rangement. 



44 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



Foolscap, legal cap, etc. — none of which should 
be used for letters — should generally be folded from 
the bottom forward, doubled twice, and put into a 
dispatch envelope. 

Foreign Post. See Postal Union. 

Forwarding. The post-office regulations are 
that letters and postal-cards directed to a person 
that has removed, or is temporarily absent from his 
usual place of residence, will be forwarded, on his 
request, free of charge ; but drop-letters will not be 
forwarded to other post-offices except on further 
prepayment of an amount sufficient, with that al- 
ready paid, to cover postage at two cents an 
ounce. 

General. There are four grades of this office — 
General, Lieutenant-General, Major-General, and 
Brigadier-General. They are all entitled to the same 
forms of address, except that the inside address 
should give the specific rank of the officer. All 
army officers above Lieutenant should be addressed 
by their official titles. The salutation of a General 
is " General '' — never abbreviated ; but civilians may, 
and often do, use '^ Sir," and it is entirely proper for 
them, though there is no necessity for other than 
the military forms. Army officers must use military 
forms. Complimentary close : " I have the honor 
to be. General, your obedient servant.*' Superscrip- 
tion : '' General A — — B ,'* etc., '' General A- 

B , commanding Army of A , etc.'' The in- 
side address — the address proper, that is — should 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



45 



give the special rank ; as " Major-General A 

B /' When the officer is in command, as is 

usual in the army, that fact should appear in both 
the address and the superscription : " To General 

A B , commanding the Department of the 

Gulf,'* etc. If the officer commands a point, the 
address containing the name of the place, then the 
word ^^ commanding '' is sufficient ; as, *^ To General 

A B, commanding. Fort Bridger, Utah," where 

the mention of the fort defines the command. 

In the War Department in Washington the cus- 
tom prevails, and it is a good one, of addressing the 
office rather than the officer ; thus, ^' To the General 
of the Armies of the United States,'* etc. ; " To the 
Honorable the Secretary of State," etc. 

The word General comes into the titles of sev- 
eral other offices than those named above ; such as, 
Adjutant-General, Quartermaster-General, Surgeon- 
General, Commissary-General ; and is used beyond 
the military purview, as Postmaster-General, Attor- 
ney-General, Vicar-General, Surveyor-General, Con- 
sul-General, etc. See these severally. 

Gentleman, In its general use the word Gen- 
tleman means any man of intelligence not in some 
way degraded or in disgrace ; at least, in corre- 
spondence this is an assumption that can do no great 
harm. A mistake in this direction — as such assump- 
tion if made practically frequently is — is in the same 
spirit as is that Justice whose deity, in halls of jus- 
tice, is painted blind. 



46 ^-^^ CORRESPONDENT. 

The word has several specific meanings, not up 
for discussion here ; and these in Britain are more 
limited and less flexible than ours in America. The 
British rule of the present day makes all men gentle- 
men that are not ** yeomen, tradesmen, artificers, or 
laborers" ; and each one of these defining words has 
several definitions. About the close of the sixteenth 
century (1565-1621) John Guillim, in his *^ Display 
of Heraldry,'* uses this quaint language on this sub- 
ject : 

" In these days he Is a gentleman who is com- 
monly so taken, and whosoever studieth the laws of 
this realm, who studieth in the university, who pro- 
fesseth liberal sciences, and, to be short, who can 
live without manual labor, and will bear the port, 
charge, and countenance of a gentleman, he shall 
be called ' Master,' and shall be taken for a gentle- 
man." 

In those days men often had inscribed on their 
tombstones the word ^* Gent." after their names. 
It is, however, but a few years ago that a case 
before a police-court in London turned upon the 
meaning of this much-defined and hardly under- 
stood word. 

"A person described as *a gentleman' was 
charged with swearing, and he was also charged 
with disorderly conduct. But the charge of swear- 
ing was under a statute of George II, which enacts 
* that every laborer, sailor, or soldier, profanely 
swearing, shall forfeit one shilling ; every other per- 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



47 



son under the degree of a gentleman, two shillings ; 
and every gentleman or person of superior rank, five 
shillings to the poor of the parish wherein such 
offense was committed/ The case was proved. 
^ But,' said the magistrate, * you are not a laborer, 
soldier, or sailor ; and it is certain you are not a 
gentleman.' So he was fined two shillings, as being 
of the class * every other person.' " 

Governor of a Colony. This English officer 
is entitled to Excellency as a titular rank. Saluta- 
tion : "Sir." Complimentary close: "I have the 
honor to be your Excellency's obedient servant." 

Superscription : " To His Excellency Captain A , 

R. N., Governor of B ." The wives of these 

officials should be addressed, in the subscription, 

with Excellency — " To Her Excellency Lady A 

B ," as the case may be. 

Governor of a State. Salutation : " Sir," or 
" Your Excellency." Complimentary close : *' I have 
the honor to be, Sir, your [or, your Excellency's] 
obedient servant." Superscription : " To His Ex- 
cellency the Governor of A " ; or, "To His Ex- 
cellency B C , Governor of the State of 

D " ; or, simply, " To His Excellency the Gov- 
ernor." 

In the States of South Carolina and Massachu- 
setts, Excellency has been, and we believe now is, 
the legal title of the Governor. In other States it is 
accorded by courtesy ; but the use of it is almost 
universal. 



48 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Holiness. The official title of the Pope. See 
Pope. 

Honorable. This title is, in this country, en- 
tirely honorary or given by courtesy ; and yet it is 
very frequently used. It is accorded to the Vice- 
President of the United States ; to Members of 
Congress ; to Judges, from the Chief-Justice of the 
Supreme Court of the United States down to the 
lowest grade of law judges ; to Foreign Ministers 
and Envoys that have no title more distinguished, 
and to our own representatives abroad of the first 
and second grades ; to Cabinet Officers ; to State, 
Colonial, and Territorial Governors and Lieutenant- 
Governors ; to Heads of Departments generally ; to 
State Senators and to State Senates collectively ; to 
Speakers of State Houses of Representatives and 
Houses of Delegates ; to Mayors ; and to most cor- 
porate bodies with very little discrimination. The 
title is often given, by what seems to be a stretch of 
this very elastic courtesy, to Assistant Secretaries, 
Comptrollers of the Treasury, Auditors, Clerks of the 
Senate and of the House, etc., etc., etc. All civil 
officers below the ranks complimented with Honora- 
ble are addressed, in the absence of official titles, as 
Esquire. 

House of Representatives. See Representa- 
tive, 

Inclosure. Inclosures in letters that are to go 
by post are, in certain important respects, matter for 
legislation. The weight added by the inclosure is 



THE CORRESPOXDEXT. 



49 



to be paid for at letter rates ; but there are a good 
many things that, in all countries, the laws do not 
allow to go into the mails in any form. The postal 
laws of the United States classify things as mailable 
and unmailable. For the former of these, see Mail- 
able Matter^ and, for the latter, see U?unailable Matter, 

Indorsements. Much of business correspond- 
ence takes, or may readily take, the form of indorse- 
ments. The form of these, in the third person, is 
essentially different from that of the letter. The 
indorsement should begin with the date, and the 
complimentary close is put at the beginning, instead 
of at the end ; that is, the '^ Respectfully submitted *' 
or '^ Respectfully forwarded '* or '^ Respectfully re- 
turned '' with which an indorsement should begin, 
obviates the necessity of any complimentar}' close. 

The usual form is, " Respectfully referred to A 

for " ; closed with the mere signature. 

Formal military and civil official indorsements 
are prescribed in the official regulations, and are 
beyond the scope of this book. In those, the utmost 
exactness of detail — ^the folding, the dating, the order 
and sequence of authorit}', etc. — is observed ; and 
all these matters are given fully in the official manu- 
als, general orders, etc. Each office is supplied with 
these as a part of its regular equipment. 

Ink. This, for letters, should be black. Black 

ink on white paper presents the best contrast, and 

for that reason is the most legible ; and to be read is 

the final cause of all writing. Hence the reasonable- 

5 



50 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



ness of meeting these conditions as nearly as prac- 
ticable. Diseased eyes may need soothing colors in 
papers and inks ; but that belongs to a treatise on 
hygiene. Colored inks are in questionable taste in 
proportion to their glaringness, and take place in 
the category of fancy papers and flashy ornaments 
and markings. Good black ink is easily obtainable 
in all civilized countries. Colored ink, especially 
crimson, is necessary in all book-keeping, but should 
be restricted to that use. 

Inside Address. See Address. 

Judge. The Chief -Justice of the Supreme 
Court of the United States is to be addressed as 
"Sir," ''Mr. Chief-Justice," "May it please your 
Honor"; and, on the bench, "May it please the 
Honorable Court.*' Complimentary close : " I have 
the honor to be your Honor's most obedient ser- 
vant." Superscription : " To the Honorable A 

B , Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court of the 

United States " ; or, briefer and just as well, if not 
better, " To the Honorable the Chief-Justice of the 
Supreme Court, Washington, D. C." 

Associate Justices are entitled to the same saluta- 
tion and complimentary close. The superscription : 

"To the Honorable A B , Justice of the 

Supreme Court of the United States," etc. 

The State Supreme Courts, both in the Chief- 
Justices and the Associate Justices, usually receive 
the same forms as the above, mutatis mutandis. 

All judges, below the grades above specified, are 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



51 



addressed as Honorable, whether in the circuit, city, 
or county courts. 

For British Judges, see Lord Chaiicellor and 
others in place. But in general they conform to the 
same titular usage. 

Junior. This is the Latin y^;^/<^r, younger; and 
is always abbreviated, as a post-title in correspond- 
ence, to Jr, or Jun. Formally Jun, was universal, 
and now Jr, is almost so. Its place is immediately 
after the name and separated from it by a comma ; 

as *^ A B — — , Jr., Esq.*' It never displaces nor 

supersedes any other title, but goes with all. It de- 
notes the younger of two persons — usually father and 
son — that have the same name. The older is des- 
ignated Senior. See Senior, Junior should always 
begin with a capital, as should its correlative, 
Senior. 

Justice. See Judge, 

Justice of the Peace. Salutation : " Sir." 
Complimentary close : *^ Respectfully, your obedient 
servant.*' Superscription: "A B , Esq." 

King. The salutation to this functionary is 
*'Sir" or "Sire," ''May it please your Majesty," 
" Most Gracious Sovereign." The complimentary 
close : " I have the honor to be, Sire, your Majesty's 
most faithful servant." The superscription : " To 
the King's Most Excellent [or Gracious] Majesty." 
See Sir. 

Knight. Salutation, complimentary close, and 
superscription, the same as those of a Baronet^ which 



52 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



see. The wives of Knights, the same as those of 
Baronets also. See Sir, 

Ladies of the Sacred Heart. The usual ad- 
dress of members of this order in the United States 
is '^ Madame." 

Lady. In Great Britain this title "is prefixed 
to the name of any woman whose husband is of rank 
not lower than Knight, or whose father was a noble- 
man not lower than an Earl." Among English- 
speaking people generally the word Lady has two 
well-known meanings or uses — the one above stated, 
and that formerly given the word gentlewoman, the 
correlative of gentleman. When gentleman came 
into use, the feminine of it was gentlewoman ; but 
that feminine was gradually replaced with Lady, as 
we have the word now in this country. Half- 
informed persons are disposed to insist that Lady is 
the synonym of woman ; and the noble word woman, 
with this class of born plebeians, is almost a reproach. 
This is rank snobbery ; but, fortunately, the class is 
not large. Interesting shades of these meanings ap- 
pear in this incident of comparatively recent occur- 
rence : 

" When men were debating as to the proposal to 
confer the title of empress on Queen Victoria, a 
public meeting was held in a great English city for 
the discussion of the question. Some proposed * Sov- 
ereign Lady of India ' as a more becoming title. To 
this one speaker objected. He was a barrister by 
calling, and in ecclesiastical matters a zealous church- 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



53 



man. He might, therefore, be expected to know 
both his law-books and his prayer-book. Yet he 
opposed the style of ^ sovereign lady,' on the ground 
that, when there was a king, he would have to be 
called * sovereign gentleman.' His hearers, wiser 
than himself, shouted, ' Sovereign lord! * But the man 
of law remained unconvinced ; * sovereign gentle- 
man ' was the one masculine of ^ sovereign lady,' and 
* sovereign gentleman of India ' was a style that 
would never do." 

Lawyer. In America lawyers of all grades are 
entitled, by the courtesy that confers all such honors, 
to the address title of Esquire ; the salutation being 
^' Sir " or " Dear Sir "; and the complimentary close 
corresponding to the same. In England all Barris- 
ters at Law, Bachelors of Law, Counselors of Law, 
and Doctors of Law, have a legal right to the title 
of Esquire, both in superscription or address, and in 
legal designation ; and so have sheriffs of counties. 
See Esquire. 

Legislator. A State Senator is entitled, by uni- 
versal consent, to the title of Honorable ; as also is 
the Speaker of the House. The members of the 
House are also sometimes so addressed and spoken 
of ; but the best usage accords them only Esquire. 
See Legislature, 

Legislature. A Legislature maybe approached 
epistolarily in petition, memorial, and similar papers, 
usually by several signers. Salutation : *^ The un- 
dersigned respectfully represent that — " ; or *^ The 



54 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

petition of A B [or of the undersigned] 

hereby showeth." Complimentary close, when there 
are several signers : *' And your petitioners, as in 
duty bound, will ever pray/' etc. ; followed by the 
signatures. Superscription : " To the Honorable 
the Senate and House of Representatives of the 

Commonwealth of A /' See Legislator, 

Letter. The word is here used in the sense of 
epistle — a letter sent or to be sent, a letter missive. 
The essential parts of a letter are : 

1. The Date ; 

2. The Salutation ; 

3. The Body ; 

4. The Complimentary Close ; 

5. The Signature ; 

6. The Address ; and, 

7. The Superscription. 
The incidental parts are : 

8. The Postscript, with its continuations or iter- 
ations, Paulo-Postscript, Post-Paulo-Postscript, and 
so on ; 

9. The Nota Bene ; 

10. The Inclosure ; 

11. The Stamp ; and, 

12. The Return Directions. 

See each of these parts in place. 

Lieutenant, Army. Salutation : '' Sir." Com- 
plimentary close : " I beg to remain, yours respect- 
fully,*' "Respectfully yours," etc. In regard to the 
superscription due a Lieutenant, usage varies very 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



55 



much. It was once a discourtesy to address him as 
" Lieutenant," and " Mr." prevailed. In England 
Esquire is the legal title, and is usually accorded, 
giving the specific rank and command after the name 
and the ** Esquire." Usage, in America, so far as we 
may be said to have any, is in favor of giving ** Lieu- 
tenant " — usually abbreviated — as the pre-title ; and, 
of course, omitting the post-title. This elevates it to 
the grade of respectability, from which " Mr." and 
^^Esq.'* have hitherto seemed to be relegating it. 
See Adjtita7it 

Lieutenant-Colonel. This officer should be ad- 
dressed by his title, other details — salutation, com- 
plimentary close, etc. — being the same as those of a 
Colonel. See Colonel. 

Lieutenant-Commander. The seventh officer 
in the Navy, commands vessels of the fourth class. 
See Admiral, 

Lieutenant-General. See General, 

Lieutenant, Navy, is an executive officer of 
the fourth class. See Admiral. 

Lord. In Great Britain, a peer of the realm, 
especially a Baron, as distinguished from the higher 
orders of nobility. — Worcester, The word peer is 
limited to the members of the upper House of Par- 
liament, and to Scotch and Irish noblemen of cor- 
responding rank, qualified, on election, to sit in the 
upper House. — Smart, The title of Lord is extended 
by courtesy to the sons of Dukes and Marquesses, to 
the eldest sons of Earls, and, by virtue of their offices, 



56 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

to the Mayors of London, of York, and of Dublin ; 
to Judges while presiding in court ; and to certain 
other high official personages, as Lord Chancellor, 
Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief-Justice of the 
Queen's Bench, Lord Chief- Justice of the Common 
Pleas, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, etc. — 
Brande, It is also given to one that has the fee of a 
manor, and consequently the homage of his tenants ; 
but, if not of noble birth, he is not addressed as a 
Lord. — Smarts Brande, A recent writer makes this 
point : " The title of Lord has not necessarily any- 
thing to do with peerage. All peers are lords, but 
there are many lords that are not peers. The King's 
Chancellor, his Treasurer, his Chamberlain, his High 
Admiral, the President of his Privy Council, certain 
of the high Judges, all English Judges when actually 
on the bench, Scottish Judges at all times. Lieuten- 
ants of Counties, the Lieutenant of Ireland and his 
deputy, the Mayors of London and York, the Pro- 
vosts of several Scottish cities, the Rectors of Scot- 
tish Universities, the younger sons of Dukes and 
Marquesses — all these are Lords by some rule, by 
law, or by courtesy, many of them without being 
peers ; and, when they are peers, without any refer- 
ence to their peerage." 

Lord Chancellor. Salutation : " My Lord.'' 
Complimentary close : *^ I have the honor to be, with 
the highest respect, my Lord, your Lordship's most 
obedient servant," Superscription : " To the Right 
Honorable Lord A , Lord High Chancellor/' 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



57 



Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. See 

Lord Chancellor, 

Lord Chief- Justice. See Lord Chaitcellor. 

Lord Mayor. Salutation : *' My Lord.'* Com- 
plimentary close : ** I have the honor to be, my 
Lord, your Lordship's obedient servant." Super- 
scription : *^ To the Right Honorable Sir A 

B , Bart, Lord Mayor of C ^ 

Lords, House of. A member of the House 
of Lords is addressed according to the rank he 
holds, irrespective of his membership. As a body, 
the address is — salutation : '* May it please your 
Lordships,'* or " My Lords." Superscription : " To 
the Right Honorable the Lords Spiritual and Tem- 
poral, in Parliament assembled." 

Madame. See Mesdames, 

Mailable Matter. There are four classes of 
this, designated in the postal directions by their 
numbers ; as follows : 

First Class. — ^, letters ; i^ all matter wholly in 
writing (except manuscript for publication, whe^t ac- 
companied by proof-sheets^ corrected or not) ; c^ mat- 
ter partly in print and partly in writing (certain ex- 
ceptions noted below) ; d^ packages so wrapped, 
sealed, or secured that their contents can not be 
readily examined. The rate of postage on mail 

MATTER OF THIS CLASS IS TWO CENTS AN OUNCE OR 
FRACTION THEREOF. 

Second Class. — This class of mail matter in- 
cludes only publications mailed direct from the 



58 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



offices of the publishers and news agencies to sub- 
scribers, etc., under special postal rates and condi- 
tions, in the details of which the general public is 
not interested, and they are therefore omitted. 

Third Class. — Books, transient newspapers and 
periodicals, circulars, proof-sheets and manuscript 
accompanying the same, and printed matter gen- 
erally (except that belonging in the second class). 
*^ Printed matter " is defined to be the reproduc- 
tion by any mechanical process (except handwrit- 
ing and the copying-press) of words, figures, etc., 
7iot in the nature of personal correspo7idence. Under 
this definition, photographs, and also circulars pro- 
duced by hektograph or similar process, and by elec- 
tric pen, are rated as "printed matter." Upon mat- 
ter of this class, or on its wrapper, the sender may 
write his own name, preceded by the word ^* from '' ; 
may mark any printed passage to call attention to 
it ; may write date, address, and signature of circu- 
lars, correct typographical errors, and write on cover 
or blank leaf of any book or of any other printed 
article of the third class, a simple dedication or 
presentation inscription not in the nature of per- 
sonal correspondence. (See also note below.) No 
other zariting is permitted iii or on third-class mat- 
ter J and the regulation that formerly admitted partly 
written billSy statements^ invoices^ and other co7nmercial 
papers to the third class has been revoked. The limit 
of weight for mail matter of the third class is four 
pounds, except in the case of single books exceed- 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



59 



ing that weight. The rate of postage on mail 

MATTER OF THE THIRD CLASS IS ONE CENT FOR 
EACH TWO OUNCES OR FRACTION THEREOF. 

Fourth Class. — All matter not embraced in the 
first, second, or third class — including merchan- 
dise, samples of merchandise, and other articles not 
liable to destroy, deface, or damage other mail mat- 
ter, or to harm the person of any one in the postal 
service, and not excluded by law from the mails. 
Sharp instruments, articles wholly or partly of glass, 
and other things that, if not properly secured, might 
damage the mails or harm any person handling 
them, must be first securely wrapped or cased, and 
then safely packed in hard wood or metal boxes 
with screw lids or secured by clasp or slide. Per- 
sons in doubt as to the admissibility of articles they 
desire to mail will probably save unnecessary trouble 
and expense by submitting the same at the post- 
ofifice, where they will receive correct information 
on the subject. Upon any package of fourth class 
matter the sender may write or print his own name 
and address, preceded by the word ^^ from,*' and may 
also write or print thereon the nuviber (quantity) and 
na?nes oi the articles inclosed ; and one mark, num- 
ber, name, or letter (^for the purpose of identification 
07ily) may be written on any article of the fourth 
class, or upon a tag or label attached to it. Price 
and size of the article may be printed or stamped on 
such tag or label ; but more than one written m.ark, 
number, name, or letter, will subject the package to 



6o THE CORRESPONDENT. 

postage at letter rates. The limit of weight for pack- 
ages of fourth class matter is four pounds. The 

RATE OF POSTAGE ON MAIL MATTER OF THE FOURTH 
CLASS is ONE CENT FOR EACH OUNCE OR FRACTION 
THEREOF. 

Note. — On any package of third or fourth class matter 
there may be written or printed a request in the following or 

similar form : ** If undeliverable, P. M. please notify 

, and stamps for return postage will be forwarded." Let- 



ters ONLY are returned free to writers. 

Major. Salutation : " Major/' " Sir.*' The word 
may be abbreviated sometimes in the address, but 
never in the salutation. Complimentary close : *' I 
have the honor to be [or, to remain]. Major [or, 
Sir], your most obedient servant.*' Superscription : 

'' Major A B , Fourth Infantry, U. S. A." 

See General, 

Major-General. See General 

Marchioness. Salutation : *' Madam," " My 
Lady," ** May it please your Ladyship." Compli- 
mentary close : " I have the honor to be your Lady- 
ship's most faithful and obedient servant " ; or some 
similar form that will correspond to the salutation. 
Superscription : " To the Most Honorable the Mar- 
chioness of A ." 

Margin, the Left. A space of about three 
quarters of an inch should always be left on the left- 
hand edge of a letter-page. This is called the Left 
Margin, or left-margin space. When the paper is 
below the usual size the margin may be less than 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 6 1 

three quarters of an inch. In note-paper it should 
be less than half an inch. 

Marquess. Salutation : ^* My Lord," " My Lord 
Marquess/' '^ May it please your Lordship.'* Com- 
plimentary close: "I have the honor to be your 
Lordship's most obedient, humble servant." Super- 
scription : " To the Most Noble the Marquess of 

A — r 

The form Marquis was very general until within 
the present generation ; but it is now almost entirely 
superseded by Marquess. 

With the oldest sons of Dukes, Marquesses, and 
Earls, the epistolary forms are the same as with Earls ; 
and with their wives as with Countesses. For the 
daughters of Marquesses, see Duke, 

Marquis. See Marquess. 

Marshal. See Field-Marshal 

Master. See Mister. 

Master of the Rolls. Salutation : " Sir." Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be. Sir, your 
most obedient, humble servant." Superscription : 

" To the Honorable, Sir A B , Master of the 

Rolls." 

Materials. These are paper, envelopes, ink, 
pens, sealing-wax, wafers. 

See these items separate. 

Mayor. In America generally a Mayor is ad- 
dressed as Honorable ; usually abbreviated Hon. 
Salutation : " Sir," ^' Your Honor," etc. Compliment- 
ary close : " I have the honor to be [or, to remain] 



62 THE CORRESPONDENT. 



your Honor's obedient servant." Superscription 
To the Hon. A B , Mayor of C r 



a 



The Lord Mayor of London, of Dublin, and of 
York, and the Provost of Edinburgh (during life) 
are to be addressed in accordance with their high 
rank. Salutation : *' My Lord," *' May it please your 
Lordship," etc. Complimentary close : ** I have the 
honor to be your Lordship's obedient servant." 

Superscription : " To the Right Honorable A 

B , Lord Mayor of L ," " To the Right Hon- 
orable C D , Lord Provost of Edinburgh." 

The Provosts of other towns in Scotland are styled 
Honorable merely. The Mayors of all cities, except 
as above, and the Sheriffs, Aldermen, and the Re- 
corder of London, are addressed as Right Worship- 
ful ; and the Aldermen and Recorders of other 
corporations and the Justices of the Peace, Worship- 
ful. 

Memorial. See Legislature. 

Mesdames. The permanent contraction of 
this word is Mmes, It is the plural of the French 
Madame^ and is used in English as the plural of 
Mistress (Mrs.) ; just as Messieurs (Messrs.), the 
plural of the French Monsieur^ is used — a perma- 
nent contraction also — as the plural of the English 
"Mister" (Mr.). 

Any number of spinsters associated in a business 
firm, in a committee, or in any other co-operative 
body, should be addressed, in address and super- 
scription, with the pre-title of "Misses"; but if any 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 63 

one of them rejoices in the title of Mrs., then the 
pre-title of the body must be Mmes. 

The salutation, both oral and written, in any case 
— spinsters or not — should be " Ladies^ That is to 

say, if Mrs. A and another woman or other 

women, acting together in a firm or other collective 
capacity, are to be addressed, the pre-title must be 
Mmes. ; and the salutation, "Ladies." In like man- 
ner, if Mr. A and another man or other men, 

acting as a firm or other collective body, are to be 
addressed, the pre-title should be Messrs,^ and 
the salutation, " Gentlemen,'* or " Sirs.'* See Mis- 
tress. 

When Mrs. A and Mr. B are associated 

in a firm or otherwise as a body plural, the 
grammatical rule of genders demands the pre-title 
*^ Messrs." while the societal order would seem to 
call for "Mmes."; both being essentially incorrect, 
and neither satisfactory. 

Messrs. See Sir, 

Midshipman. The students at the United 
States Naval Academy at Annapolis rank with 
cadets or students at the West Point United States 
Military Academy. They have no official rank. 

Minister (diplomate). See Ambassador, 

Minister of the Gospel. See Clergyman, 

Minister Resident. See Ambassador. 

Miss. The pre-title of a girl or a spinster. Its 
use begins from infancy — almost as soon as the sex 
is distinguishable. In youth its masculine is " Mas- 



64 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

ter/' and in adult age ** Mister " (Mr.). It belongs 
to all ages and all classes. It is a derivative by con- 
traction of "Mistress," the feminine of *' Mister.*' 
In Shakespeare's day the word *^ Miss " was un- 
known. An unmarried woman was at that time 
called " Mistress." The Merry Wives of Windsor 
appeared in 1602 ; and in that, Anne Page, a spin- 
ster, is spoken of and to as " Mistress Anne Page." 
Sixty years later, the word "Miss" — then spelled 
"Misse" — first appeared, in Evelyn's Diary, 9 Jan- 
uary, 1662 ; but then in a disreputable sense. A 
certain young person is there spoken of as " being 
taken for the Earle of Oxford's Misse, as at that 
time they began to call lewd women." Singularly 
enough, that sense to-day sometimes goes to the 
original word — mistress. In a proper and courteous 
sense — the sense of to-day — the word Miss first ap- 
peared near the end of the seventeenth century. In 
Congreve's Love for Love, which appeared in 1695, 
we find " Miss Prue," the school-girl daughter of 
Mr. Foresight, the mad astrologer, as one of the 
characters. This is, we believe, the earliest use of 
the word in that sense in our literature. It is, ac- 
cordingly, nearly two hundred years old. But " Mis- 
tress " and " Mrs." for spinsters remained in use 
long after the introduction of "Miss." As late as 
the days of the second George — 1727 to 1760 — un- 
married women were usually styled " Mrs."; as, Mrs. 
Lepel, Mrs. Bellenden, and Mrs. Blount — all un- 
married. Pope's letters of that period show this 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 65 

abundantly. And to-day in England an elderly 
spinster is frequently called ^' Mrs/* 

The title " Miss/' in its adjectival use, is now a 
prefix — a pre-title — merely, and can not be used as 
an independent appellative. As a common noun the 
use of the word is general. It must be admitted that 
the English language — in most respects the best 
spoken — is defective in this matter. It has an inde- 
pendent appellative for every other condition of life ; 
but none for a spinster. We may say and write 
''Sir " alone, and '' Madame,*' and " General,** and 
hundreds of other such independent appellatives ; 
but not " Miss.** " Mr.** has its correspondent '' Sir,*' 
as ''Mrs/* has its "Madam**; but "Miss" and 
"Master** have none. Almost every other living 
language has something. In addressing a spinster 
one must know either her given name or her sur- 
name ; and with these one may say " Miss Mary ** or 
"Miss Smith.** It is equally stupid to address a 
spinster as " Miss ** alone as it is to accost a man as 
" Mister '* in the same way. Both are uncouth. 

In writing to strangers a woman should, in her 
signature, indicate not only her sex but also whether 
she is a " Miss *' or a " Mrs.** 

Mister. The contraction is " Mr.,** and it rarely 
appears in any other form. It was always a pre- 
title, and can not be used apart from the name. 
When the occasion arises to use the appellative inde- 
pendent and (not knowing the name) alone, we use 
" Sir." " Mr.** is the most common of all the titular 



£)6 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

appellatives applied to man. It is respectful, but it 
lacks distinction. It may be — and on occasion 
should be — used in almost every part of a letter ; 
but the superscription and the address are the im- 
portant points, the use in both being exactly the 
same. The importance of " Mr." in such use lies in its 
relations to and differences from ^^ Esquire'' ; and 
these relations and differences are far more complex 
and confusing in the United States than they are in 
Great Britain, and for the reason that the lines of 
distinction there are somewhat closely drawn, while 
here they are not. In this country " Mr." has better 
standing than it has in the mother-country, and the 
frequent ignorance of the social status — and the oc- 
casional absence of all social status — of our corre- 
spondents render the safer title " Mr.*' of more con- 
stant use, as an epistolary title at least. As a pre-title 
in the address of letters, it is fair to say, ^' Mr.'* has 
far more respect shown it in America than it has in 
England. Here, at least, it conveys no sharp sugges- 
tion of reproach, as it may do there. In this country 
" Mr." is of far wider use, and very few Americans 
have the leisure to be vexed at so small a matter as 
that of being mistered, on letters or elsewhere. Still, 
*^ Esquire " is generally felt to be a higher title, and 
altogether a more desirable one where there is any 
feeling or room for feeling in the matter. The Eng- 
lishman that puts " Mr." — as well-nigh every un- 
titled Englishman does — ^before his name on his 
visiting-card, would be mortally offended if any cor- 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 6/ 

respondent were to put the same in the superscrip- 
tion or in the address of a letter to him. He styles 
himself *'*' Mr.," but everybody else must call him 
" Esquire." In America, as in England, the proper 
epistolary title of a gentleman is ^^ Esquire " ; and 
** Mr." should be used only in business correspond- 
ence, and then only when the party addressed is not 
known to be entitled to ^* Esquire." 

The plural of " Mr."— and of '' Esquire " as well, 
as to titular use — is *^ Messrs." ; a contraction of the 
French Messieurs^ gentlemen. See Esquire and Mes- 
da7nes. 

In conversation, as a designative title, *^Mr.'' has 
far better standing in England than in the United 
States generally ; and, in America, better in the 
South than in the North. In the South, professors 
are far oftener in conversation addressed and spoken 
of as " Mr." than they are in the North. It is, in 
fact, not universal in the former section to use Pro- 
fessor — to even a bonajide professor — as it is in the 
latter. 

The word is derived from the Latin magisier — 
from magis^ as in 7nagnus — successively Maister, 
Master^ Mister, On the title-page of the first folio 
edition of Shakespeare, published in 1623, the con- 
traction " Mr." appears, probably for the first time ; 
but doubtless it was read Master at that date. " Mis- 
ter " is of relatively recent origin — later than Shake- 
speare, that is to say. The word has lost its original 
meaning for the most part. It no longer conveys an 



68 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

idea of superior or ruler, and often conveys one of 
very scant respect. This degradation is the work 
mainly of the present century, and other languages 
have had the same experience with their Monsieur^ 
Sefiory Senhor^ Signore^ Herr^ and so on. Even the 
lordly Don — in Latin dominus — graces a beggar's 
name as well as a king's. 

At first ** Master " was applied to persons of any 
age, and rather to seniors. To-day, however, a Mas- 
ter is a youth, a teacher, a head mechanic, or a slave- 
owner. 

The word is, as above stated, from magister^ 
whence comes also majesty j and hence it is when 
the many began to feel themselves to be sovereign, 
the many made themselves a title equal to the 
" Majesty '* used by royalty, and that title is Mister, 
Monsieur Citoyen is — a — king, behind the Barri- 
cades ! 

** Mister," as a part of a compound pre-title, has 
a very wide range of application. We say, Mr. 
President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Secre- 
tary, Mr. Chief - Justice, Mr. Vice-President, Mr. 
Justice, Mr. Minister, Mr. Senator, Mr. Editor, The 
Honorable Mr., The Reverend Mr. ; and so on and 
so on. See Esquire ^ Sir, Mistress , Miss. 

Mistress. The pre-title of a married woman. 
It is almost always used in abbreviated form — 
" Mrs." — and is pronounced misses. It corresponds 
very closely to "Mister." See Mister, It was de- 
rived from Mister J after that word had grown out of 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



69 



Master j otherv/ise the corresponding form of Master 
would have been Masteress or Mastress. It has to- 
day one sinister meaning that is identical with the 
sinister meaning of "Miss.*' See Miss. 

The use of " Mrs/' with the family name is gen- 
erally well understood. There is diversity of usage, 
however, as to coupling it with a husband's titles ; 

as in " Mrs. General A ," " Mrs. Senator B ," 

and the like. This use is convenient, but question- 
able. The places, if any, where it may be used with 
propriety are few. 

There has been hitherto very little use — very 
limited demand, they would say in trade — for a plu- 
ral of this title. But in recent times, when women 
are engaging freely in business pursuits, and are con- 
sequently forming firms, the necessity for a plural is 
arising. Mrs. A and Mrs. B form a busi- 
ness partnership, and " Mrs. A & Mrs. B " 

would not do. It would be no better than " Mr. 

C & Mr. D " would be. What is to be done ? 

Exactly what was done in the case of the men by 
our grandfathers — ^we are going to the French. And 
there we find the plural " Mesdames." We take the 
abbreviated form — " Mmes." — and the two associated 

women are addressed as " Mmes. A & B ." 

See Mesdames, 

In writing to strangers, a woman should in some 
way, in her signature, indicate not only her sex but 
also whether she is Miss or Mrs. If she do not, she 
should be addressed in reply as " Mr." 



70 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



Mitred Abbot. Salutation : '' Right Reverend 

Abbot A /'"Right Reverend Father," "Right 

Revered Father Abbot," or, personally, " Right Rev- 
erend and Dear Sir." Complimentary close : " I re- 
main, Right Reverend Sir, your obedient servant " ; 
or, by a Monk or similar party, " Begging your bless- 
ing. Right Reverend and Dear Father, I remain, as 
ever, your dutiful son." Superscription : " To the 

Right Reverend Abbot B , C Abbey," or, 

" To the Right Reverend A B (initials of 

order). Abbot of D ." 

Money-Order. The post-ofifice regulations are 
to this effect : The limit of a single money-order 
payable in the United States is fifty dollars, but three 
money-orders, each for this amount, making in all 
one hundred and fifty dollars, can be sent in one 
day. There is no limit to the amount in the inter- 
national business, but a single order must not exceed 
fifty dollars. 

Monk. These and other ecclesiastics of like 
order usually sign themselves " Brothers " ; and in 
reply they should be so addressed. See Brother. 

Monograms. Monograms, as connected with 
stationery, come incidentally but not directly within 
our purview. When used at all, they should be clear 
and neat — following some system of solution, and 
not a jumble of letters. The leading letter may be 
the strongest. Perhaps the best order is the first 
letter the smallest and feeblest, the second larger and 
stronger, and the surname - letter the largest and 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



71 



strongest. An unintelligible or illegible jumble for 
a monogram is vulgar, whether in colors or lines. 
Colors should not be conspicuous nor glaring. 

Monsignor. This title in English follows the 
Italian Monsignor e and the French MonseigneuVj 
and is originally Italian, compounded of mon and 
signore — my lord. It is of somewhat infrequent oc- 
currence, and is conferred by the Pope upon emi- 
nent divines for special reasons. It corresponds, in 
most respects, to the brevet military titles. It ranks 
next below a Bishop. As an honorary title it takes 
precedence of the other title or titles held by the 
individual, and, in addressing him, we are always 
safe in using this title to the exclusion of all the 
others. It was conferred on him because it was 
greater than his existing titles. 

The salutation may be " Right Reverend Sir," 
*^ Right Reverend Monsignor,*' or simply '* Monsig- 
nor." Complimentary close : *'I have the honor to 
be, Right Reverend Sir, your obedient servant." 
Superscription : *^ To the Right Reverend Monsignor 
B ^," etc. 

Monsignors of inferior degree are addressed in 
salutation as *' Very Reverend Monsignor." Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be, Very 
Reverend Sir, your obedient servant." Superscrip- 
tion : *^ To the Very Reverend Monsignor A 

B [or, B Y 

There are three grades of this rank — the Partici- 
panti, and these remain at Rome ; the Prothonota- 



72 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

ries ; and the Domestic Prelates. All have the title 
of Right Reverend. 

Most Eminent. A titular form used in ad- 
dressing a Cardinal. See CardinaL 

Most Reverend. Belongs to an Archbishop. 
See Archbishop. 

Mother Superior. The same principles apply- 
here as are stated under Nun^ except that the terms 
should be more respectful, if possible. If she sign 
a letter " The Mother Superior/' the answer to it 
should be made to that as the name in the address. 

If the signature is "A , Mother Superior/' the 

address should be *^ Mother A , Superior of 

B y It is entirely proper to address a woman 

at the head of a religious order, such as the Sisters 
of Charity, as " Reverend " ; say, " The Reverend 
Mother Superior,*' ''The Reverend Prioress," '' The 
Reverend Mother Abbess," and so on, according to 
her office. A Mother Superior uses her names, both 
religious and family, only in her intercourse with the 
outside world ; her offices, to her cloistered world. 

Name. A part of the address — the inside ad- 
dress and the superscription alike — of a letter. It 
should, with ordinary title, all be on one line ; as, 

*' Mr. A B -.," or '' C D , Esq." We 

should in general accept a correspondent's signature 
as his name, although we can not always do so ; but 
the form of the signature authorizes the use of the 
same in reply. If Mr. J. Fred Smith puts no period 
after the " Fred " it is fair, in replying to his letter, 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



71 



to put none, notwithstanding the fact that we may- 
suppose " Fred " to be an abbreviation of Frederic. 
We have no right to put such period where the 
writer puts none, for the reason that by so doing we 
make a personal criticism, and proceed upon an as- 
sumption that may be offensive to Mr. Smith, unless 
he is an ignoramus, and that is always an unsafe as- 
sumption to proceed upon. If true, it will for that 
reason probably be more offensive to him. 

Navy. Officers of the Navy of the United States 
rank as follows : Admiral, Vice-Admiral, Rear-Ad- 
miral, Commodore, Captain, Commander, Lieuten- 
ant-Commander, Lieutenant, Master, Ensign. See 
Admiral, 

Nickname. See Abbreviation, 

Nota Bene. Is Latin. Anglice, **Note spe- 
cially." The abbreviation is N. B. — the usual and 
almost universal form in use. Like the postscript, it 
follows the completed letter ; that is, comes below 
both the signature and the address, and may come 
before or after the postscript ; that is, it may rhetori- 
cally qualify either the letter or the postscript. Like 
the latter, again, it has two leading uses. The first 
and obvious one is to call special attention to a point 
or a view of the matter that the writer thinks his 
correspondent may by inadvertence fail to appre- 
ciate or to give its due weight to. The other use is 
to conceal, at first blush at least, in its apparent em- 
phasis, the real object of the letter ; thus letting the 
real object work its way gradually — percolate, as it 
7 



74 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



were — into the correspondent's mind. The real ob- 
ject, in such case, must be a matter alien to the sub- 
ject of the Nota Bene. This device, as in the case 
of the postscript, is one of diplomacy, as well per- 
sonal as professional, and belongs to the domain of 
Rhetoric. 

A Nota Bene may have a postscript, as a post- 
script in any of its multiplied forms may have, but 
should never have, a Nota Bene. 

Nun. In correspondence with the outside world 
the Nun, of whatever order or sisterhood she may 
be, signs her church name, and in writing to her we 
should address her by the same. The churchman 
will use whatever terms and forms his relations de- 
mand. The layman will generally use terms appro- 
priate to ladies in the world. The salutation, in such 
cases, maybe *^ Madam,'* or "Dear Madam''; the 
complimentary close, " I have the honor to be yours 
with respect," '^Very respectfully yours," or some- 
thing of that sort ; and the superscription, ** Sister 

A " ; or, if a full or family name has been signed, 

'' Miss A B ," etc. 

Official Letters. As common sense suggests, 
and as the usage in our country is fast coming to 
illustrate, it is better to address the office than the 
officer. In the General Government — both civil and 
military — many letters are now so addressed. Such 
as — ^* To the General commanding the Armies of 

the United States," rather than '' To General A 

B , Washington, D. C." ; and this for the ob- 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



75 



vious reason that the office is permanent, while A 

B is not ; and A B may be absent, so 

that the letter might by mistake for a personal one 
be forwarded to some distant point, thus delaying 
business. But the matter rests on a higher basis — it 
is the office primarily that represents and constitutes 
the power. There is a tang of demagoguery, too, in 
personalizing offices that ought to be discouraged, 
but which, unfortunately, is likely, and for its very 
worst features, to be encouraged and extended. 

Orders of Nobility. See Duke. 

Orders, Religious. Several Catholic religious 
orders have initials of their Latin names, and these 
are frequently used as post-titles by the clergy of 
that church. The most common of these are : 

Cap.^ or O. M, C. — Capucinus, or Ordinis Mino- 
rum Capucinorum, popularly known as the Capu- 
chins. 

O. Cist — Ordinis Cisterciensis, the Cistercians. 

a M. C— See Cap, 

O. P.^ or O. S, D, — Ordinis Praedicatorum, or 
Ordinis Sancti Dominici, the Dominicans. 

O, S, A. — Ordinis Sancti Augustini, the Augus- 
tinians. 

O. S. B, — Ordinis Sancti Benedicti, the Bene- 
dictines. 

O. S. Z>.—See O. P, 

O, S. F, — Ordinis Sancti Francisci, the Francis- 
cans. 

^S*. y. — Societatis Jesu, the Jesuits. 



^e 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



Paper. Perhaps more than half of general cor- 
respondence to-day is written on note-paper, but 
technically a letter is an epistle written on letter- 
paper, and a note one written on note-paper. The 
paper should be, whether letter or note, the best 
that the writer can afford. Let it be white, or with 
the faintest tinge possible of blue or cream, but a 
dead white has some advantages. The ink, espe- 
cially black ink — and none other should ever be 
used — shows more distinctly on white than on any 
color. The matters of ruling, weight, size, and shape 
belong largely to the domain of personal taste ; but 
good taste eschews the eccentric in this as in all 
other things. Something, however, must be con- 
ceded to prevailing styles, but the bizarre is essen- 
tially vulgar ; and what is called fashion should 
never be permitted to overrule cultivated taste. To 
snatch up a novelty in stationery merely because it 
is new proves a lack of character and a feebleness 
that make cultivated taste out of the question. Gilt- 
edge and rough-edge are in questionable taste, 
while fanciful and fantastic figures and flashy colors 
are unquestionably vulgar. 

Parliament. See Lords, House of, and Cojn- 
mons, House of. 

Parson. See Clergyman. 

Pastor. See Clergyman. 

Patriarch. A dignitary of the Roman Catholic 
Church, ranking an Archbishop. The epistolary and 
titular forms for the two are the same, the official 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



77 



titles — Patriarch and Archbishop — being used re- 
spectively. The pre-title of both is Most Reverend. 
See Archbishop, 

Paulo - postscript. Faulo adds to the word 
postscript the idea of later than j and Paulo-post- 
script mtdiVi?, Just after the postscript^ and is equivalent 
to a second postscript, or a postscript No. 2. The 
abbreviation — and it is almost always used in abbre- 
viation — is P. P. S. It is a second postscript to the 
letter, or a postscript to the postscript ; sometimes 
the one, sometimes the other. If the P. S. is objec- 
tionable on principle, then the P. P. S. is doubly so, 
and the P. P. P. S. trebly so. The signature to these 
should be merely the initials of the writer. 

Pens. The writer must select his pen to suit 
his muscular movement. A gold pen is better than 
a steel one, for the reason that it continues very 
much the same through months of writing, whereas 
the steel pen changes in flexibility, sharpness, and 
touch, with every hour's use. The old-fashioned 
quill, now almost out of use, has some advantages, 
but so many disadvantages that it can not compare 
with a well-selected gold pen of the first quality. 
The use of the quill requires some skill in mending, 
and that we have no time for now. 

Period. See Punctuation, 

Petition. See Board of Education^ Congress^ 
Courts and Legislature. 

Physician. The address and superscription 
should be " Dr. A B ,** etc. ; or, in rare in- 



78 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Stances — such as occasions that call for a form to 
distinguish the party from some other doctor — it 

should be "A B , M. D.," etc. The author 

of How to Write Letters authorizes " A B , 

Esq., M. D.*' ; but the form seems hardly necessary. 
It is English, however. 

Place. A part of the date of a letter, giving 
the locality of the writer, and also of the address, 
both inside and superscription, giving the place 
where the letter is to be delivered. The two call 
for the same points, and in the same order. In 
domestic letters the place embraces by law these 
three : the post-office, the county, and the State ; 
and they should be always in that order. See 
Date. 

In cities, where letters are delivered by carriers, 
it is necessary to give the number of the street also ; 
and it is often important, in large business houses, 
to add to these the number of the room occupied by 
the party addressed. See Address. In general, it is 
better to err in the direction of giving too many 
than of giving too few points in the place. In Eng- 
lish, especially in London, addresses, the complexity 
is sometimes very great. 

Plenipotentiary. See Ambassador. 

Pope. Salutation : '' Most Holy Father,'' " Your 
Holiness." Complimentary close : ^^ Prostrate at 
the feet of your Holiness, and begging the Apos- 
tolic Benediction, I protest myself now and at all 
times to be, of your Holiness, the most obedient son 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



79 



[or daughter].'* This, of course, for Catholics only. — 
Frof, Westlake, Superscription : " To our Most 

Holy Father, Pope A /' or ^' To his Holiness, 

Pope A /' 

In Letters to the Pope^ Professor Westlake — an 
excellent authority on Catholic forms — says : ** The 
salutation must stand alone upon one line at the top 
of the page; the body of the letter occupies the 
middle portion of the page, and the place of writing 
and date are put at the bottom, near the left edge. 
A certain vacant space should be left between the 
salutation and the beginning of the letter, an equal 
space between the complimentary close and the sig- 
nature, and a less space between the end of the letter 
and- the complimentary close. By reason of these 
requirements, note-paper, or any small form of let- 
ter-paper, should never be used for this purpose. 
The same requirements must be observed in writ- 
ing to Cardinals and other high ecclesiastics in 
all parts of Italy — at least, when writing in any- 
thing like a formal or official manner — except 
that the spaces diminish with the rank of the dig- 
nitaries." 

In regard to the elaborate complimentary close, 
it will be observed that the form given must occupy 
several lines ; and, in this case, as in all similar ones, 
the first word of every line must begin with a capital 
letter, no matter what the word may be. This is 
true of all plural-lined forms, whether complimentary 
close or long-drawn titles. 



8o THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Postal-Card. The superscription of a postal- 
card — in England and Canada they are called post- 
cards — is of course the same as that of a letter. On 
the other side should be the date in full — time and 
place of writing — the body of the note, and the sig- 
nature. There is no need of salutation nor of com- 
plimentary close. The informality of such a missive 
does not harmonize with phrases of mere courtesy, 
and the economy that resorts to cards need not waste 
time and two lines on mere civilities. The signa- 
ture may be, according to circumstances, the full 
name, the initials, or a sign. The post-office au- 
thorities rule that ** postal-cards bearing on their face 
or address side any message or part of a message, or 
any writing or printing other than is necessary to 
secure their proper delivery, are held to be unmail- 
able, and will be returned to the senders." 

Postal Union. The rates of postage to the 
following countries, which, with the United States 
and Canada, compose the Universal Postal Union — 
Union Postale Universelle — are as follows : On let- 
ters, five cents for each half ounce or fraction there- 
of ; prepayment optional. On newspapers and other 
printed matter (including books, pamphlets, com- 
mercial papers, photographs, sheet music, maps, en- 
gravings, deeds, legal papers, and all documents 
wholly or partly in writing, and not in the nature of 
personal correspondence), and on samples of mer- 
chandise, one cent for each two ounces or fraction 
thereof. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



8i 



Argentine Republic, 

Austria-Hungary, 

Bahamas, 

Barbadoes, 

Belgium, 

Bermuda^ 

Brazil, 

British Colonies, West Coast of 

Africa, and West Indies, 
British Guiana, 
British Honduras, 
British India, 
Bulgaria, 
Ceylon, 
Chili, 
Denmark, 
Dominica, 
Dutch Colonies, 
Ecuador, 
Egypt, 

Falkland Islands, 
France (and Algeria), 
French Colonies, 
Germany, 

Great Britain and Ireland, 
Greece, 
Greenland, 
Guatemala, 
Hayti, 
Holland, 
Honduras, 



Hong Kong, 

Italy, 

Jamaica, 

Japan, 

Lab u an, 

Liberia, 

Mauritius, 

Mexico, 

Montenegro, 

Newfoundland, 

Nicaragua, 

Norway, 

Paraguay, 

Persia, 

Peru, 

Portugal and Colonies, 

Roumania, 

Russia, 

Salvador, 

Sandwich Islands, 

Servia, 

Spain and Colonies, 

Straits Settlements, 

Sweden, 

Switzerland, 

Trinidad, 

Turkey, 

Uruguay, 

United States of Colombia, 

Venezuela. 



To Canada (including Nova Scotia, New Bruns- 
wick, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island) : Let- 
ters, two cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof ; 



82 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

transient newspapers and other printed matter, one 
cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof ; second- 
class matter, same as in the United States ; samples 
of merchandise (no dutiable articles or articles of 
intrinsic value admitted), ten cents for each pack- 
age, which must not exceed eight ounces in weight — 
prepayment compulsory. 

To Australia (except New South Wales, Queens- 
land, and Victoria), via San Francisco : On letters, 
five cents for each half ounce or fraction thereof; 
on newspapers, two cents each — prepayment com- 
pulsory. 

Limits of size and weight : Packages of samples 
of merchandise to the countries named above (ex- 
cept Great Britain, France, Belgium, and Switzer- 
land) must not exceed eight and three quarter 
ounces in weight, nor measure more than eight inches 
in length, four inches in breadth, and two inches in 
depth ; and packages of printed matter must not 
exceed four pounds six ounces in weight. Packages 
of merchandise samples to Great Britain, France, 
Belgium, and Switzerland, are limited to twelve 
ounces in weight, twelve inches in length, eight 
inches in width, and four inches in depth. Packages 
of printed matter to Germany and Great Britain are 
limited to two feet in length and one foot in each 
other dimension. 

Postmaster-General. See Cabinet Officer. 

Post-Office. This occurs three times in a com- 
plete letter — in the date, in the address, and in the 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 83 

superscription, as a part of each. The United 
States law requires in the superscription three points 
— the post-office, the county, and the State ; and 
they should be invariably in that order. See Date. 
The postal service does not insist upon the county, 
but the law recites it as a necessary part of the su- 
perscription. In some cases it is possible to make the 
place of an address clearer by adding a word or two 
to the post-office ; as, when the county is unknown, 
it is not altogether absurd to add some well-known 
designation ; as, '' Stapleton (S. I.), New York," or 
^^Roslyn (L. I.), New York," where Staten Island 
and Long Island are well known while the counties 
in which they are may not be. Such special direc- 
tions should always be put in brackets, to indicate 
that they are not a part of the address proper. 

Post-Office Box. The proper place on the en- 
velope for this part of the address is in its order — 
first after the name. In cases^ however, where there 
are four lines or more in the superscription without 
this, it may be put, in small hand, at the bottom on 
the left. 

It is forbidden by the Regulations of the Post- 
Office Department to give to any person information 
concerning the mail-matter of another, or to disclose 
the name of a box-holder at a post-office. 

Post-paulo-pOStscript. Is a third postscript 
to a letter, as paulo-postscript is the second, q. v. 
Its abbreviation is P. P. P. S. See Postscript, The 
signature should be initials only. 



84 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Postscript. In Latin post-scriptian^ and is al- 
most universally abbreviated P. S. Its place is after 
the completed letter ; that is, below both the signa- 
ture and the address. The P. S. should begin as 
does a paragraph — one space from the left margin- 
space. This space should be in letter-paper about 
three quarters of an inch. See Margin^ Left. The 
ordinary and obvious use of the postscript is to add 
some after-thought to the letter. It may, however, 
be, and frequently is, used for emphasis ; and this 
use in cases of diplomacy, domestic as well as in- 
ternational, is often very effective. An illustration : 
A commonplace letter upon some indifferent sub- 
ject is written to make the occasion of bringing in a 
point that could not be brought in by itself — could 
not be made the main subject of a letter ; and hav- 
ing the occasion — the opportunity at least — in the 
pointless letter, the real point may be made to ap- 
pear to be an after-thought, and thus strike home 
with telling effect. The signature to a postscript 
should be the initials merely of the writer. 

These additional after-writings may be indicated 
and arranged with their abbreviations : 

P. S. — Postscript, as above. 

P. P. S. — Paulo-postscript. 

P. P. P. S. — Post-paulo-postscript ; and this is 
quite far enough ; or, perhaps, a better designation 
would be : 

P. S.— Postscript. 

2d P. S. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



85 



3d P. S. ; and so on. 

It is clear, however, that when more than one 
are called for — except for humorous effects — the 
writer owes it to himself to rewrite his letter. 

In general, postscripts — even one — should be 
avoided if possible. They are, as far as they have 
suggestive meanings at all, disrespectful ; and they 
should therefore never be used in writing to officials, 
nor to superiors of any kind, especially of age. A 
postscript is an impertinence. Business, that knows 
very little of personal respect, finds occasional need 
of them ; and they should be freely used when so 
necessary. 

The Nota Bene may have its postscript the same 
as a letter, although the propriety of one is one re- 
move more questionable and one degree more repre- 
hensible and vulgar. 

Post-title. This is a title that follows the name 
of the person having it ; such as ^* Esq.,*' '* M. D.,'* 
and " D. D.'' See Abbreviations and Orders^ Religious, 
There are some pre-titles that on occasion must fol- 
low the name, generally in signatures and in descrip- 
tive mentions, but sometimes in addresses. Such 

are *^A B , General U. S. A.," or '^ To the 

Reverend Doctor C , Dean of D ." These, 

however, are not post-titles, but pre-^titles in excep- 
tional use. See Title, 

Preacher. See Clergyman, 

Prelate. The Roman Prelates— Apostolic Pro- 

thonotaries and Domestic Prelates — are styled Right 
8 



86 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Reverend, and are generally addressed as Right 
Reverend Monsignor. Salutation : ** Right Reverend 
Sir," " Right Reverend Monsignor " ; or, less for- 
mally — or, rather, not formally — " Monsignor," or 
'* Right Reverend and Dear Sir." Complimentary 
close : " Right Reverend Sir, your most obedient 
servant " ; or, informally, *^ My Dear Monsignor, 
your friend and servant." Superscription : *^ To 

the Right Reverend Monsignor B ," etc. *^ To 

the Right Reverend Monsignor A B , 

Prothonotary Apostolic," or ^* To the Right Rever- 
end A B , Domestic Prelate of His Holi- 
ness." 

Present. Some years ago " Present " was usu- 
ally written on the envelope of formal letters deliv- 
ered by messenger ; but the French " En Ville " has 
driven it almost entirely out of use. Mrs. Dahlgren, 
in her " Etiquette of Social Life in Washington," 
says that in that city Present ** is now quite obso- 
lete, except as confined to communications of a busi- 
ness nature, such as bills sent." 

President. The President of the United States 
is addressed, in epistolary salutation, as ^' Sir " and 
" Mr. President." Complimentary close : *' I have 
the honor to subscribe myself, most respectfully, your 
obedient servant," or any other perfectly respect- 
ful formal closing. Superscription: "To His Ex- 
cellency the President of the United States," or, 
with republican - democratic simpleness, *' To the 
President, Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C' 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



87 



Mrs. Dahlgren suggests the former one. But there 
are, in fact, scores of forms in use. 

In the days of the first president it was custom- 
ary to write always, " To His Excellency, George 
Washington, President of the United States.*' That 
degree of formality fell rapidly into disuse, however, 
and is very rarely seen on letters received at the 
White House to-day, and it has not been frequent 
for the last fifty years. In conversation, the Chief 
Magistrate is usually addressed as " Sir,*' or as " Mr. 
President," although one sometimes hears ^'Your 
Excellency," but this mainly from gentlemen of the 
old school, from foreigners, or from office-seekers of 
the effusive variety. Mrs. Dahlgren does not men- 
tion ** Sir " as permissible, and we are left to infer 
that that excellent authority on such matters regards 
it as not exactly proper ; but we have heard it used 
in the Executive Mansion. 

President of a Board. The President of a 
Company, of a Board of Directors, or of Commis- 
sioners, or the like, should be addressed *' To A 

B , Esq., President of ," etc. 

President of a College. When he has no 
other office or degree, he may be addressed as 

" Prof. A B , President of C College," 

etc. Salutation: ''Sir," or "Dear Sir." Compli- 
mentary close should correspond to the saluta- 
tion ; as, '' I beg to remain, very respectfully yours," 
etc. 

Pre-title. This is a title that precedes the name 



88 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

of the person to whom it belongs ; such as '^ Mr./* 
" Mrs.," '' Colonel," '' Dr.," and so on. See Title, 

Priest. See Clergyman, 

Prince. Salutation : *' Sir," ^' May it please your 
Royal Highness." Complimentary close : ** I have 
the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant " ; or any 
form that corresponds to the salutation. Superscrip- 
tion : *^ To His Royal Highness the Prince of ." 

Prince-Consort. The salutation due to this 
somewhat anomalous functionary is "Sir." The 
complimentary close : " I have the honor to be, 
Sir, your Royal Highnesses most obedient humble 
servant." The superscription: " To Field-Marshal 

His Royal Highness the Prince A , K. G.," etc. 

See Field- Marshal, 

Prince of Wales. Salutation : " Sir," or '* May 
it please your Royal Highness." Complimentary 
close : " I have the honor to be. Sir, your Royal High- 
nesses most obedient servant." Superscription : " To 
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales." 

Princess. Salutation : " Madam," or '^ May it 
please your Royal Highness." Complimentary close : 
** I have the honor to be, Madam, your most obe- 
dient and faithful servant " ; or, after ** Madam," one 
may insert, in place of " your," " your Royal High- 
nesses." Superscription : " To Her Royal Highness 
the Princess A y 

Princess of Wales. See Princess. 

Prior. The next in rank to an abbot. The 
title is Reverend. 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



89 



Prioress. Is entitled to the same titular appel- 
latives as an abbess. See Abbess, 

Privy Counselor. Salutation and compliment- 
ary close, the same as for gentlemen without office ; 
the superscription being ^* To the Right Honorable 
A B ." 

Professor. Usually abbreviated ''Prof." Salu- 
tation: ''Sir/' or ** Dear Sir/' as the case may be. 
Usage in America favors the use of *' Dear Sir " in 
preference to " Sir/' even to strangers. Compliment- 
ary close : *' Respectfully/' *' Very truly/* and so 
on, to correspond to the salutation. Superscription : 

*' Prof. A B .'* When he has other degrees, 

these may be combined with the above ; thus, *' Dr. 

A B , Prof, of C , D College," when 

he has the degree of M. D., D. D., etc. 

Prothonotary, Apostolic. See Prelate, 

Provost. See Mayor. 

Punctuation. The points of punctuation need- 
ed in addresses — embracing date, salutation, compli- 
mentary close, signature, and superscription — are 
relatively few ; namely, the comma, the colon, the 
period, the dash, and the brace. The punctuation 
of each one of these is given also in place. 

I. Comma, This point is used to separate the 
several items, except the pre-titles and the names ; 
thus, '' Colonel A B , (comma) Junior, (com- 
ma) 49 (the English almost always put a comma 
here, Americans very rarely do) Broadway, (comma) 
New York, (comma) N. Y." A comma may stand 



90 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



between the body of the letter and the compliment- 
ary close, and should do so generally when the last 
sentence is not complete, or ends with '^ remain- 
ing." 

2. Colon, Is used conventionally after the salu- 
tation and after the complimentary close ; thus, 
'' Dear Sir : '' " Yours faithfully : '' The reason for 
this length of pause after the salutation is that it 
separates that part from the body of the letter — 
separates two general divisions of the letter — and a 
comma is too brief and hurried. The rhetorical 
pause falls at this place, and adds time to the point 
properly written there ; so that, when we read a let- 
ter, the comma is not the pause we naturally make 
at that place. When, however, the letter or note is 
merely a colloquial sentence of a few words, then a 
comma is appropriate. But a letter generally con- 
sists of several sentences, and sometimes several para- 
graphs ; and hence there is more deliberation — more 
time — required than a comma expresses. 

3. Period, Is used after every abbreviated word 
and at the end of all the sentences. Illustrative 
examples of abbreviation are: *^ Mr/' for Mister, 
" Hon." for Honorable, '' Esq." for Esquire, '' LL.D." 
for Legum Doctor — the double L indicating the plu- 
ral in the same way that " pp." does as the abbre- 
viation of ^^ pages." This point of abbreviation must 
be used where called for, w^hether other points fall 
at the same place or not. Thus, " 10 Dec. (period), 
(comma) 1885 " ; and " Is the Professor also a D. D. 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 91 

(period) ? *' When the initials of a well-known firm 
consisting of four or more names are used — as in 
business is often convenient and well enough in 
business — it is permissible to omit the commas where 
they fall with the periods of abbreviation ; as " S. B. 
J. & Co.'* may be written for ^* Smith, Brown, Jones 
& Co.,'* omitting the commas. 

4. Dash, Is to be used when the name of the 
party to whose care the letter is sent is inserted just 
after the name in the superscription ; thus : 

*' Hon. A B , — (dash) 

Care of Mr. C D , — (dash) 

Columbus, 
Ohio." 
Some writers put a colon with Dash after the saluta- 
tion ; but that is suitable only in elaborate or formal 
and argumentative communications, when it may be 
used. 

5. Brace, Is used to connect and unify the in- 
side address when it is given at the close of the let- 
ter ; thus : 

A B , Esq., 

Boston, 
Mass. 
It may be a brace proper or a waved line ; as : 

Col. C D , 

Calvert St., 
Baltimore, 
Md, 
The use of the brace in this place is to unify the 



92 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



address and thus separate it from the signature, the 
P. S., etc. 

Queen. The salutation due the Queen — there 
is but one Queen in the English-speaking world — is 
*^ Madam/' or '^ May it please your Majesty," or 
"Most Gracious Sovereign," or something to that 
effect. The complimentary close of a letter to her 
may be, " I have the honor to be, with profound ven- 
eration, Madam, your Majesty's most faithful serv- 
ant." The divisions into lines should be gracefully 
arranged, and every line should begin with a capi- 
tal, whatever the word be. The superscription : 
"To the Queen's Most Excellent (or. Gracious) 
Majesty." In conversation, one may say, " Your 
Majesty " and " Madam." Relatively little formality 
hedges the Queen. 

Rabbi. In the Jewish Church Rabbi embraces 
all ordained ministers, and all are addressed as Rev- 
erend. See Clergyman, The Moreh Tsedek or 
teacher of righteousness, the Moranu or teacher, and 
the Moreh Moranu or teacher of teachers, are the 
Hebrew titles of the clergy of that National Church. 
— Westlake, Rabbi in Hebrew means "my master." 

Reader. In the Jewish Church this is a con- 
ductor of services, in rank lower than a Rabbi or 
teacher. His address is Reverend. See Reverend zxi^ 
Clergy^nan, 

Rear-Admiral. This is the third officer of our 
Navy, and he commands a fleet or squadron. See 
Admiral, 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



93 



Recorder. In this country the title is usually 
Esquire. See Mayor and Esquire, 

Rector. The address of Rectors does not differ 
from that of Clergymen in general, though the su- 
perscription should indicate the position held : " To 

the Reverend A B , Rector of C r See 

Clergyman and Reverend, 

Registration. Letters and packages can be 
registered at any post-office on payment of a fee of 
ten cents, which, with the full postage, must be pre- 
paid with postage-stamps. The name and address 
of the sender must be indorsed by him on each regis- 
tered letter or package. Mail-matter may be sent 
registered to any post-office in the United States, 
Canada, or in any of the countries of the ** Uni- 
versal Postal Union," and also to certain other for- 
eign countries. See Postal Union and Superscrip- 
tion. 

Religious Orders. See Orders, Religious, 

Representative in Congress. Salutation : 
" Sir.'* Complimentary close : ^' I have the honor 
to be, sir, your most obedient servant." Superscrip- 
tion : " Honorable A B , United States Con- 
gress, Washington, D. C." ; and, when absent from 

the seat of Government, simply ** Hon. A 

B ," etc. 

The proper address of the Speaker of the House 
is — salutation: ^^ Sir," "Mr. Speaker." Compli- 
mentary close : *^ I have the honor to be, Sir, your 
most obedient servant/^ etc. Superscription : *^ To 



94 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



the Honorable the Speaker of the House of Repre- 
sentatives, Washington, D. C." 

The House as a body should be addressed — sal- 
utation : '* Honorable Sirs/* ** May it please your 
Honorable Body." Superscription : " To the Hon- 
orable the House of Representatives of the United 
States in Congress assembled/' 

In conversation the Representative is addressed 
as " Mr/' if he has no other well-known title, such 
as ** General," "Judge," or something of the kind; 
and is usually introduced as ** The Honorable Mr. 
A B , of C ." 

Return Directions. See SuperscriptiGn, 

Reverend. This pre- title, generally abbreviated 
"Rev.," designates in general a clergyman of any 
church, and is accorded to all priests below the rank 
of Very Reverend and those in Priests' or Deacons' 
orders, Pastors, Rectors, Preachers of all kinds, 
Vicars, Curates, Priors, Rabbis, Readers, etc., etc. 
Abbesses and other women at the head of religious 
houses are entitled to this address. See Right Rev- 
erend^ Very Reverend ^ and Most Reverend. 

Reverend Doctor. Belongs to a Doctor of 
Divinity ; and is sometimes accorded as a personal 
courtesy to aged and learned divines that have not 
received the degree from any institution. Saluta- 
tion : "Sir," "Reverend Sir," "Reverend Doctor," 
"Reverend and Dear Sir." Complimentary close: 
" I have the honor to be. Reverend Sir, your obedi- 
ent servant." Superscription : " To the Reverend 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



95 



Dr. A B "; or, though rarely, ''To the 

Reverend A B , D. D." 

Right Honorable. A title that belongs to sev- 
eral offices in Great Britain, such as the Lord 
Chancellor, the Lord Chief-Justice of the Queen's 
Bench, the Lord Chief-Justice of the Common Pleas, 
the Lord Chief-Baron of the Exchequer. See Mayor, 

Right Reverend. Belongs to a Bishop, a 
Mitered Abbot, a Monsignor, an Apostolic Pro- 
thonotary, and a Domestic Prelate; and is usually 
accorded to an Abbot and an Abbess. Most Rev- 
erend is higher, and Very Reverend is lower. The 
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. 
Westlake states, prefer '' Reverend " to " Right Rev- 
erend '* for themselves. 

Right WorshipfuL See Mayor, 

Salutation. This is the greeting at the begin- 
ning of a letter— the '' Sir,'* the '' Madam,*' the '' My 
Dear Henry," and the like, with which it is usual 
to begin a letter. 

The place is immediately after the date, and 
should be one line-space below it, beginning within 
half an inch of the left margin of the page. Each 
separate w^ord in it, excepting particles, should be- 
gin with a capital. 

What the salutation shall be must be determined, 
of course, by tne relation between the writer and the 
party addressed. Our most formal, private, or un- 
official salutations are " Sir " and " Madam." These 
are almost impersonal, and belong to such parties as 



96 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

we may wish to accost with civility. In the corre- 
spondence from Government offices, in Washington 
and elsewhere, these are the regular salutations used 
to persons without official titles, and to many with 
such titles. In like manner "Sir** is the correct 
salutation to use in addressing the civil officials of 
the Government, both general and State, that have 
no special title inherent in the offices they hold. For 
official salutations, see the officers respectively in 
place. 

The most formal salutation of " Sir *' is the least 
personal of all. That, with a very slight degree of 
familiarity, becomes " Dear Sir " ; and that, one step 
farther, warms into " My Dear Sir ** ; and so the 
degrees continue. The same with " Madam," its 
feminine, and the rest. Beyond these is an infinite 
variety of forms that an infinite variety of relations 
warrant ; such as, " Dear Friend," " My Dear Old 
Friend," " Friend of Mine," " Friend of Other 
Days," " Dear Father," " My Dear Son," " Dear 
Old Boy," '' Friend Tom," '' Friend Brown," and 
so on ad infinitum. 

Between intimate friends, of either sex, when the 
intimacy is thoroughly understood, the best saluta- 
tion is the absence of one. One may, and naturally 
will, begin a letter as he would begin a conversation, 
and the absence of a salutation is natural and sensi- 
ble, and therefore appropriate. It is at least in- 
finitely better than a slip-shod intimacy that delights 
in dashing off with '' Hal, my Boy," " Well,'^ " Dear 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



97 



Ancient/* and the like — affectations of easy famil- 
iarity that are unnatural ; and, whether natural or 
not, are essentially vulgar. The absence of a salu- 
tation has many advantages. 

The best rebuke for over-familiarity is over- 
formality in reply ; but even that is risky. Even a 
fool, however, is likely to understand it. 

Between firms the salutation should be ^* Gentle- 
men," with, under special circumstances of rare oc- 
currence, " Dear Sirs " ; and the complimentary 
close — which must always correspond to the salu- 
tation — should be "Yours respectfully,'* or some- 
thing equivalent to it. 

Sealing-Wax. See Wax, 

Sacred Heart, Ladies of the. See Ladies of 
the Sacred Heart 

Secretary of Legation. Esquire is the proper 
titular appellative. 

Secretary of State. See Cabinet Officer. 

Secretary of the Interior. See Cabinet Officer, 

Secretary of the Navy. See Cabinet Officer. 

Secretary of the Treasury. See Cabinet Offi- 
cer, 

Secretary of War. See Cabinet Officer. 

Senator. Salutation: *^Sir/' Complimentary 
close : " I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient 

servant." Superscription : " To the Honorable A 

B ■, Senate Chamber," etc. ; or, better, *^ Senator 

A B— — ,'' etc. The President of the Senate 

should be addressed, " To the Honorable the Presi- 
9 



98 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

dent of the Senate of the United States '' ; or, *' To 

the Honorable A B , President of the Senate 

of the United States." The Senate as a body should 
be addressed thus — Salutation : *^ Honorable Sirs *' ; 
or, '* May it please your Honorable Body *' (or the 
Honorable Senate). Superscription : ** To the Hon- 
orable the Senate of the United States in Congress 
assembled." 

In conversation the Senator is frequently ad- 
dressed as '^ Mr. Senator." 

Senior. This post-title should be written, as 
indeed should all titles, with a capital, whether 
abbreviated or not. The abbreviation is " Sr." It 
was formerly *^ Sen.," and that is still occasionally 
used. Its place is immediately after the name and 
before all other post-titles, such as " Esquire." See 
Junior. 

Sheriff. In America the usual salutation of this 
officer is ** Sir." Complimentary close : " I beg to 
remain, respectfully yours " ; or, " I have the honor 

to be," etc. Superscription : *^ A B , Esq., 

Sheriff of C Co." For some British forms, see 

Mayor, 

Signature. This follows the complimentary 
close, on the next line or space, and should end at 
the right margin, or very near it. It should be the 
ordinary signature. The reason for this is that, in 
cases where the letter fails of delivery from any 
cause, it may be duly and properly returned by the 
Dead-Letter Office; and, if the purpose of abbre- 



THE CORRESPOlSrDENT. 



99 



viation or of a nom de guerre is to prevent the cor- 
respondent or the proper officer from identifying the 
writer, then ninety-nine times in a hundred it will 
be wiser not to write the letter at all. 

When one is generally spoken to and of by a 
middle name, it is proper, or at least allowable, to 
abbreviate the first name and to write in full the 
familiar middle name ; as, " J. Henry Smith,** when 
Mr. Smith is commonly known as Henry. Notably 
is this proper when the middle name is also that of 
a godfather that is, for any good reason, worthy a 
special attention. But if Mr. Smith is universally 
known as John^ it is sheer affectation of the worst 
possible taste for him to abbreviate the John and 
write the Henry in full. The abbreviated first and 
full middle name is classical, and for that reason 
especially pleasing to students of the classics. To 
use it for that reason is pedantic, and pedantry is 
vulgar. The fledgling pedant seems to fancy that 
he borrows some of the style of C. Julius Caesar, or 
of M. TuUius Cicero, or of Q. Horatius Flaccus, 
when he writes himself "J. Henry Smith,*' when all 
his companions know him as John H. 

Sir. This vocative and salutation title is a cor- 
relative with Mister ; and may be used apart from 
the name, while Mr. must go with the name. We 
may accost a stranger with " Sir,** the vocative title 
usually closing the sentence ; as, " Have we a meet- 
ing to-day, sir ? *' It must, of course, begin with a 
capital, however used in epistolary form. With 



100 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

*^ Sir," as a vocative, contrast "Mister." It is the 
natural plebeian that accosts a stranger with any- 
thing like " Mister, what o'clock is it ? " 

In letters, Sir is the formal salutation of gentle- 
men, whether the correspondence be private or offi- 
cial. Government correspondence, being official, is 
necessarily formal, while the great mass of private 
correspondence is not. The rigid brevity of the 
formal ** Sir " is being replaced, gradually though 
slowly, in both fields by " Dear Sir " ; and this, event- 
ually, if it ever supersede *' Sir," must do so by grad- 
ually taking on the meaning that " Sir " now has. 
When *^ Sir " is the salutation, the complimentary 
close should be, *^ Yours respectfully," or something 
correspondingly distant. These forms are the ones 
most frequently used in our Government correspond- 
ence, both civil and military. The usage at Wash- 
ington is followed generally in the Government sub- 
offices throughout the country, so that it is safe to 
use ** Sir " in all such cases. Many gentlemen of the 
old school seem to feel that " Dear Sir" is too famil- 
iar— -too democratic and informal — for their use, even 
in private correspondence. But the use of a saluta- 
tion too formal may convey the idea of posing for 
effect, and the tendency now is decidedly toward 
the opposite point of informality. 

In Great Britain " Dear Sir " is becoming also 
more general than it was even one generation ago. 
In America, outside of official correspondence, we 
rarely encounter "Sir," except where the parties are 



THE CORRESPONDENT. jqi 

at daggers' points. A man's deadly enemy must 
be saluted as ^' Sir." 

The meaning of this courtly monosyllable is very 
flexible. *^ Sir *' may be complimentary, conciliatory, 
supplicating, respectful, cold, distant, remonstrative, 
repellent, reproachful, encouraging, jocular, patron- 
izing, defiant, belittling, insulting — almost anything. 

The epistolary plural of " Sir '' is " Gentlemen," 
and this has its French Messieurs — always abbre- 
viated "Messrs." — as a correlative. ** Messrs." is 
restricted in use as " Mr." is, and should rarely if ever 
be used alone in place of "Gentlemen," and for 
the same reason that " Mr." is so restricted. It is 
accordingly incorrect to use " Messrs." as the saluta- 
tion of a letter, in place of " Gentlemen," or " Dear 
Sirs." ** Messrs." so used is an affectation, and there- 
fore vulgar ; unless used through ignorance, and ig- 
norance is essentially vulgar. It is a pre-title, bor- 
rowed from the French to do special duty in ad- 
dresses, and can not be substituted for "Gentle- 
men " as a vocative title or salutation. " Dear Sirs '' 
stands to " Gentlemen " as " Dear Sir " does to 
"Sir." 

Sir, as a designative of rank, is, of course, not 
American, but British. It belongs to Baronets and 
Knights, and is always a prefix to the given name ; 
as, " Sir Peter," " Sir Edward," in oral and colloquial 

use; and "Sir Peter A ," " Sir Edward T ," 

in speaking of the individuals in question. 

The original meaning of Sir is indicated by its 



102 THE CORRESPONDENT, 

derivation, from the Latin senior^ elder. The first 
form was "Sire/* and that has survived in the salu- 
tation of kings. See King, 

Sister of Charity, The forms in addressing a 
Sister of Charity are the same as those appropriate 
to spinsters not in orders ; but persons bearing pro- 
fessional or church relations to her vary their forms 
to fit the relations. These forms belong to the train- 
ing of the convent. In business the address, title, or 
salutation is *' Madam,*' or ^^ Dear Madam'*; some 
preferring, appropriately enough, "Respected Sis- 
ters,*' or " Respected Ladies," and among Catholics 
these are the most common forms. When a sister- 
hood sign *^ Sisters of Charity " to a letter, the reply 
should be directed " To the Sisters of Charity," etc., 
or " Sisters of Charity " ; the salutation being " La- 
dies," or " Respected Ladies," or " Respected Sis- 
ters," as above. These points are on the analogy of 
the other sex. Men associated in firms or otherwise 
should be saluted as " Gentlemen," "Dear Sirs," and 
so on ; women associated in firms or otherwise re- 
ceive corresponding salutations. In the signature 
the *' Sister " or " Sisters " is sometimes abbreviated 
to " Sr." or *^ Srs." ; and when so abbreviated, it is 
entirely proper to use the same in replying, in both 
the address and the superscription ; but never so in 
the salutation. See Mesdames, 

Solicitor. In America, the salutation "Sir" 
or " Dear Sir " ; the complimentary close, some 
form of "Respectfully yours." The superscription 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 103 

is *^ Esquire/' a post-title. In England, the same; 
and there also by courtesy. See Esquire, 

Space, Left Margin. See Margin, The Left, 

Speaker of the House. See Representative. 

Squire. A person that holds the office of Es- 
quire. See Esquire, 

Stamp, Postage. The proper place for this 
stamp is at the top of the envelope at the right mar- 
gin — in the right-hand upper corner — and above the 
superscription. To put it on any other part of the 
envelope gives additional trouble to the stamping- 
clerk ; and especially to put it on the back, be- 
cause that necessitates turning the envelope over. 
And anything that gives unnecessary trouble is 
necessarily wrong and generally vulgar. 

State. A part of the address on a letter, re- 
quired by law. See Address, 

Stationery. See Envelopes^ Ink^ Papery Pefis^ 
Wafers^ Wax, etc. 

Superscription, This is the outside address — 
the one usually written on the envelope, and the one 
for the postmaster and letter-carrier to note. It 
should be full and clear. It consists of three parts 
— the name, the title, and the place. The United 
States postal law requires four points — the name, 
the post-office, the county, and the State. See Ad- 
dress. The first line of the superscription should 
be very near the middle of the envelope, rather 
above than below it. This place is important as a 
matter of taste and convenience, there being need 



104 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



for the space above for the postage-stamp and the 
stamp of the postmaster. The end of it should be 
near the bottom and near the right margin. 

On the outside of a letter missive by post the 
writer should put the superscription and the post- 
age-stamp. Beyond these, on occasion, there may 
be the address of the sender, either written or 
printed. If written, it should be in a clear small 
hand across the left margin. If printed, it should be 
in the upper left-hand corner ; but may be across the 
end, as when written. The address of the sender 
thus put on the outside of a letter is tantamount to 
a request to return it to him in case it fails of deliv- 
ery in due course. This request is frequently ex- 
pressed ; as, *^ If not duly delivered, to be returned 

to A B , etc." (full address). Instead of 

*Muly'' one may write ^* within ten days," or some 
other number of days. But this request is hardly 
necessary; for the reason that the law directs the 
return to the sender in due course at the expiration 
of one month. 

Most business firms print their addresses on the 
envelope ; and all such letters not duly delivered 
find their way back to the senders. 

When a letter is registered, the sender writes his 
full address across the left margin of the back of 
the envelope ; and this is all that should ever be 
written on the back. See Registration, 

Beyond the above, nothing. To write "In 
haste," " Deliver promptly," " By courtesy," and the 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



105 



like on a post-letter — addressed apparently to whom 
it may concern, and it manifestly concerns nobody 
— are simply vulgar and useless. 

It was once necessary to write *' To '' before the 
name, in the superscription of all letters ; and many 
in England and a few in America do so still ; but, 
except in very formal letters, it is superfluous ; and 
for that very good reason it is falling into dis- 
use. In all official correspondence, such as ** To the 
Honorable the Secretary of State,'' it is proper to 
prefix it. But he that uses it in private correspond- 
ence, in America at least, to-day, runs the risk of 
being considered over-exact or of the old school. 
See To, 

Theoretically, it would be better to reverse the 
order of the items in the superscription ; that is, put 
first the largest and last the smallest. The item 
needed by the most distant post-official — the post- 
master that posts the letter — is the State, when in 
the States, and the country when it is to go abroad. 
All that that functionary needs is the State ; and 
succeeding officials will need the descending items. 
A rational address then w^ould be : 
California, 

San Diego Co., 
San Diego, 

John Smith. 

Telegram. This form of epistle needs a date, 
for record, and a signature ; but both salutation and 
complimentary close are considered superfluous. 



I06 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

The superscription should be full, specific, and 
clear. 

The. This demonstrative appears in such 
titles as " The Reverend," " The Honorable,'* etc. ; 
although it is frequently read with the titles, even 
when not written with them ; as is the case with Ro- 
man numerals in the titles of sovereigns, when we 
write ** George III," which we always read " George 
the Third." It belongs to both pre-titles and post- 
titles, as in the examples given. 

Title. Is a term of courtesy, rank, or office, 
added to a name. " A certain man had the name of 
John (of England) ; the title of King ; and the ap- 
pellation of Lackland." — Worcester. Titles, for the 
convenience of the present uses, may be divided into 
two classes — Pre-titles, such as *' Mr.," " Rev.," 
" Dr.," etc.; and Post-titles, such as '' Esq.," '' M. D.," 
'* Jun.," etc. See Pre-title and Post-title. 

It is to be hoped that the time is coming when it 
will seem unnecessary — it is unnecessary now — to 
affix any title to an untitled man's name, in the su- 
perscription of his letters. The " Mr." in " Mr. John 
Smith " is really superfluous now ; and the tendency 
of the age is to eliminate the superfluous ever}-- 
where. It is evident that " John Smith " — being 
quite as easily identified as ^^ Mr. John Smith " is — 
is all that is necessary ; and when the titleless form 
becomes customary there will be no discourtesy in 
it. In his day M. Tullius Cicero needed no Domi- 
nus to his name ; and his valet could dispense with 



THE CORRESPONDENT. 



107 



a title as well as he. Official titles have their use, 
the chief of which is to distinguish the officer from 
the unofficial rank ; and these are necessary and 
therefore desirable. 

To, The use of To as the "beginning of the 
superscription is not universal even in formal ad- 
dresses, and, in America at least, is quite infre- 
quent in private correspondence. In formal corre- 
spondence with officials it is always best to use it ; 
but there is really no use for it in any other cases. 
The fact that the letter is missive and duly prepared 
to send, conveys the fact that it is to the party whose 
name is in the superscription. In England it is con- 
sidered the correct thing to use it, although it is far 
less common there than it was a generation ago. See 
Superscription, 

Universal Postal Union. See Postal Union, 

Unmailable Matter. This embraces liquids, 
poisons, explosives, ointments, pastes, fresh fruits, 
animals, confectionery, articles having an offensive 
odor ; matter concerning lotteries, relating to so- 
called gift-concerns, and relating to fraudulent 
schemes and enterprises offering prizes; obscene 
and indecent books, prints, and other articles ; en- 
velopes, postal-cards, or packages on which obscene 
and indecent addresses or messages appear; and in 
general anything liable to injure the mails or the 
persons of those handling them. 

Venerable. The pre-title of an Archdeacon, in 
the Roman Catholic Church. See Archdeacon, 



I08 THE CORRESPONDENT. 

Very Reverend. A title given to all church 
dignitaries below Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, 
Abbots, and Prelates (except Archdeacons, who are 
Venerable), down to the class entitled to simple 
Reverend. The intermediate dignitaries are — Roman 
Monsignors (other than the Apostolic Prothonota- 
ries and Domestic Prelates), Administrators of vacant 
dioceses, Vicar-Generals, Provosts, Archdeacons 
(on occasion), Canons, Deans, Heads of Orders, Pro- 
vincials of Orders, Priors of Separate Priories, and 
Chancellors. These are addressed as ^^ Very Rever- 
end " ; and this title is by courtesy given also to 
Priors of Monasteries over which Abbots preside, 
Rectors and Superiors of Religious Houses, Presi- 
dents of Catholic Colleges and other high institu- 
tions of learning. 

Vicar-General. A Roman Catholic dignitary 
whose title is Very Reverend. Salutation : " Very 
Reverend Sir." Complimentary close : ^* I have the 
honor to be. Very Reverend Sir, your obedient 

servant." Superscription : *' Very Reverend A 

B , Vicar-General of C ,** etc. 

Vice-Admiral. The second officer in the 
United States Navy, commanding a fleet or fleets 
less than the whole Navy. See Admiral. 

Vice-Chancellor. A British office. Saluta- 
tion : *^ Sir." Complimentary close : " I have the 
honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant." Su- 
perscription : " To Sir A B , Her Majesty's 

Vice-Chancellor," etc. 



THE CORRESPONDENT, 



109 



Vice-President. The second officer of the 
United States ranks socially with the Chief-Justice 
of the Supreme Court. Officially, he is addressed 
in epistolary salutation as *^ Sir/' *' Mr. Vice-Presi- 
dent,*' or the like. Complimentary close : ** I have 
the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient 
servant." Superscription: "To the Honorable the 
Vice-President of the United States," '' To the Hon- 
orable A B , Vice-President of the United 

States." The Chief- Justice is addressed the same: 
" To the Honorable the Chief-Justice of the United 
States," "To the Honorable C D , Chief- 
Justice of the United States." 

In conversation they are frequently addressed as 
" Mr. Vice-President," and " Mr. Chief-Justice." 

Viscount. Salutation : " My Lord." Compli- 
mentary close : " I have the honor to be your Lord- 
ship's most obedient servant," or some corresponding 
form. Superscription: "To the Right Honorable 

the Lord Viscount A ." The Viscount ranks in 

general with a Baron. 

Viscountess. Salutation : " My Lady." Com- 
plimentary close : " I have the honor to be your 
Ladyship's faithful and obedient servant." Super- 
scription : " To the Right Honorable the Viscount- 
ess A ." 

Wafers. See Wax. 

Wax. Many years ago sealing-wax was indis- 
pensable in almost all correspondence, with the 

wafer or without it ; and wafers did service in less 
10 



no THE CORRESPONDENT, 

formal correspondence for a long time alone. A 
hundred years ago the wax was a measure of tone ; 
and a letter without wax and a seal of some sort was 
a slovenly sort of thing in decent society. Wax is 
now confined chiefly to courtly correspondence, and 
express parcels containing valuables for security. 
Money parcels sent by express, and most foreign 
dispatches, are sealed with wax. Many fastidious 
persons, however, mainly those that rejoice in being 
of the old school, still use it with scrupulous care in 
all formal letters and even in notes. It is much more 
used in Great Britain than in America. Gummed 
envelopes carry probably nine tenths of the letters of 
to-day, the world over. Wax, sand, the wafer, and 
the folded letter without envelope passed long ago 
into comparative obsoleteness; but quite recently 
wax has leaped into a feverish popularity in America. 
In societal correspondence it may hold its place ; 
but the inconvenience that half a century ago ban- 
ished it from the post will no doubt limit its general 
use to-day. 

Worshipful. See Mayor, 



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MONTESQUIEU'S CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CAUSES 
OF THE GRANDEUR AND DECADENCE OF THE 
ROMANS. A New Translation, together with an Introduction, 
Critical and Illustrative Notes, and an Analytical Index. By 
Jehu Baker. Being incidentally a Rational Discussion of the 
Phenomena and the Tendencies of History in general. 12mo. 
Cloth, $2.00. 

*' Mr. Jehu Baker has rendered a great service to English-speaking 
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HISTOKY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

FROM THE DISCOVERY OF THE CONTINENT TO THE 
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HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, 

FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR. By John 
B. McMaster. 5 vols. Svo. Vols. I and II now ready. Cloth, 
$2.50 each. 

Scope op the Work.— In the course of this narrative much is 
written of wars, conspiracies, and rebellions : of Presidents, of Con- 
gresses, of embassies, of treaties, of the ambition of political leaders, 
and of the rise of great parties in the nation. Yet the history of the 
people is the chief theme. At every stage of the splendid progress 
which separates the America of Washington and Adams from the 
America in which we live, it has been tbe author's purpose to describe 
the dress, the occupations, the amusements, the literary canons of the 
times ; to note the change of manners and morals ; to trace the 
growth of that humane spirit which abolished punishment for debt, 
and reformed the discipline of prisons and of jails ; to recount the 
manifold improvements which, in a thousand ways, have multiplied 
the conveniences of life and ministered to the happiness of our race ; 
to describe the rise and progress of that long series of mechanical 
inventions and discoveries which is now the admiration of the world, 
and our just pride and boast ; to tell how, under the benign influence 
of liberty and peace, there sprang up, in the course of a single cent- 
ury, a prosperity unparalleled in the annals of human aflfairs. 



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D. APPLETON & CO/S PUBLICATIONS. 

HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED 

STATES, from the Revolution to the Civil War. By 

John Bach McMaster. To be completed in five volumes. 

Vols. I and II, 8vo, cloth, gilt top, §2.50 each. 

Scope of the Work.— /ti the course of this narrative much is writ- 
ten of wars, conspiracies, and rebellions • of Presiderds, of Ccm.gr esses ^ of 
embassies, of treaties, of the amMion of political leaders, and of the rise 
of great parties i/i the nation. Yet ths history of the people is the chief 
theme. At eno'y stage of the splendid progress which separates the 
America of Washington and Adams from the America in which we live, 
it has been the author's purpose to describe the dress, the occupations, the 
amusements, the literary canons of the times ; to note the changes of 
manners and morals ; to trace the growth of that humane spirit which 
abolished punishment for debt, and reformed the discipline of prisons 
and of jails ; to recount tJie manifold irhprovements which, in a thousand 
ivays, have multiplied the conveniences of life and ministered to the hap- 
piness of our race ; to describe the rise and progress of that l07ig series of 
mechanical inventions and discoveries ivhich is now the admiration of 
the world, and our just p7i,de and boast ; to tell how, under the benign 
influence of liberty and peace, there sprang up, in the course of a single 
century, a prosperity unparaXleled in the annals of human affairs. 

*' The pledge ^iven by Mr. McMaster, that ' the history of the people 
phall be the chief theme.' is punctiliously and satisfactorily fulfilled. 
He carries out his promise in a complete, vivid, and delightful way. 
We should add that the literary execution of the work is worthy of the 
indefatigable indastry and unceasing vigilance with which the stores 
of historical material have been accumulated, weighed, and sifted. 
The cardinal qualitiss of style, lucidity, animation, and energy, are 
everywhere present. Seldom, indeed, has a book, in which matter 
of substantial value has been so happily united to attractiveness of 
form, been offered by an American autaor to his fellow-citizens." — 
lifew York Sun. 

" To recount the marvelous progress of the American people, to 
describe their life, their literature, their occupations, their amuse- 
ments, is Mr. McMaster's object. His theme is an important one, 
and we congratulate him on his success. It has rarely been our prov- 
ince to notice a book with so many excellences and so few defects." — 
New York Herald. 

"Mr. McMaster at once shows his grasp of the various themes and 
his special capacity as a historian of the people. His aim is high, but 
he hits the mark." — New York Journal of Commerce. 

'' I have had to read a good deal of history in my day, but I find so 
ranch freshness in the way Professor McMaster ha? treated his subject 
tbat it is quite like a new story." — Philadelvhia Press. 

''Mr. McMaster's success as a writer seems to us distinct and de- 
cisive. In the first place he has written a remarkably readable history. 
His style is clear and vii^orous, if not always condensed. He has the 
faculty of felicitous comparison and C(mtrast in a marked degree. Mr. 
McMaster has produced one of the most spirited of histories, a book 
which will be widely read, and the entertaining quaUty of which is 
conspicuous beyond that of any work of its kind." — Boston Gazette. 



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ERRORS IN THE USE OF ENGL.ISH. By the late Will- 
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*' This posthumous work of Dr. Hodgson deserves a hearty wel- 
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improved accuracy in the use of the Enirlish language. . . . Perhaps 
its chief use will be in very distinctly proving with what wonderful 
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whose trespasses are here recorded appear many of our best-kuowu 
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THE ENGIilSH GRAMMAR OF WILL.IAM COBBETT. 

Carefully revised and annotated by Alfjsed Ayres. With Index. 
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THE ORTHOEPIST: A Prononn-ing Manual, containing about 
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ut also, for the most part, of rare judgment and taste."— Joseph 
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THE VERBAIilST t A Manual devoted to Brief Discussions of 
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